Seal the Deal
by GrounderRecords
Summary: Clarke Griffin is an artist who takes a graphic design job at a record label working under owner Lexa Woods. Between business meetings and company events, the two spend enough time together that secrets are shared and feelings are developed. CLEXA.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Clearly I do not own "The 100"... Enjoy the first chapter. This story will start off slow but I know you're all interested in Clexa and you'll get exactly that. :)**

 _Chapter 1: When One Door Opens_

Clarke Griffin smiled brightly at the short, tan-skinned boy who held the glass door open for her. "Thank you," She told him sweetly before stepping in.

"Enjoy your stay at the New York Marriott," he recited at the blonde and her date.

"We're just here for a party." She pointed out before jokingly pushing her hands up in the air in an attempt to 'raise the roof'.

Sporting a visible blush, the blonde led the way past the hotel lobby and towards the large ballroom near the back of the first floor. She had imagined this party to be more like… a party. Instead there was a stage set up ready to go with the band member's instruments and people gathered around drinking and talking.

The room was full by the time she and her date got there. She noticed that half the people were dressed up while a notable portion were slightly dressed down. Clarke didn't feel as bad for her semi-casual outfit that made her look like she just stepped out of an H&M catalog. She was wearing a white button up blouse, a leather jacket, and skin-tight black jeans. She was suddenly proud of herself for trading in her Converse for her recently purchased black booties.

"When Lincoln said dress semi-casual he really meant it," she told her date and they shared a laugh.

Clarke had been to her fair share of parties before, if you count college and the memorable apartment parties her friends like to throw, but never anything as planned and put together as this. And while the party wasn't really for her, she felt a little pride in knowing she still had something to do with it.

A few months back she had been approached by Lincoln, a friend of a friend, to do the artwork for his band's album. She accepted the job thinking it'd be a self-release cd that most emerging bands give to their friends. She later came to find out that Lincoln's band, Polaris, was actually releasing an album through a well-known record label - Grounder Records.

One thing led to another and before she knew it her art was being featured on the cover of the band's first major album, to be released _worldwide_. The cd wasn't scheduled to drop until the next day, but the label had set up a release party for the band, their friends, and everyone involved in the making of the album.

No more than five minutes after their arrival, Clarke noticed a tall, slender figure walk onto the stage and take the mic. "Hello everyone," the voice came from the stage causing the room to quiet down. "I'm Alexandria Woods, owner of Grounder Records."

As the owner welcomed everyone to the release party, Clarke and her date walked over towards the other side of the room where the bar was located. She kept her eyes peeled for Lincoln, wanting to buy him a drink as a 'thank you' for letting her help with the album.

"I'd like to give a special thanks to…" the owner continued as Clarke made her way through the crowd. "And finally, the album artwork artist, Clarke Griffin."

Clarke was almost to the bar when she heard her name. She had not been paying much attention to the brunette giving the speech but she looked up almost immediately upon hearing it. She smiled at the speaker but the owner had moved on to closing her speech.

"Shit," Clarke mumbled. "What did she say?" She looked over at her date but he was just as clueless as she was.

After the label owner concluded the speech, the band took the stage and began to play. Clarke had heard their songs when Lincoln and his boys played the album for her a few weeks back, but she had never hard them play live.

The rock music of the band and murmurs of the party attendees filled the room. Instead of completing her quest for an alcoholic beverage, Clarke decided to go and thank the label owner herself. The blonde looked around and saw that the brunette was standing alone, so she took the opportunity to approach her.

"I'll be back," she told her date.

She walked up to the other woman nervously, noting how beautiful she looked up close. She was wearing a black wrap jumpsuit and white leather jacket. The perfect mix of casual and professional, Clarke thought.

As she neared the businesswoman, Clarke couldn't help but focus on the woman's delicate facial features. To say she was a sucker for a well-defined jawline was an understatement, and this woman had one of the most aesthetically pleasing jawlines Clarke had ever seen.

Clarke drew in a sharp breath when the woman's piercing green eyes met her ocean blue ones. "Miss Woods," she said softly. "Hi, I'm Clarke Griffin." Her voice hitched slightly as she introduced herself. There was something about the woman that made Clarke nervous.

"Clarke, hi." She smiled back at the blonde. "I'm Al-" she cleared her throat. "Lexa."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Clarke smiled widely. _Definitely a pleasure_ , she thought to herself. "Thank you so much for letting me do the artwork"

"When Lincoln told me about getting art from an outside source I was completely against it," Lexa began. "It just tends to slow down the process when there's creative differences, you know?" She asked and Clarke nodded.

"But your artwork is beautiful and you _really_ have a talent." Lexa continued. Her words seemed honest and not like the typical businessperson who spews out overly nice bullshit.

"Thank you," Clarke blushed. "I'm happy to help again if you ever need it."

"Well, now that you mention it, Lincoln suggested you weren't under contract right now."

"I just freelance," Clarke shrugged. "Mini jobs like this one from time to time."

"Would you be interested in working for me? We recently lost our graphic designer," Lexa admitted almost immediately. "I might actually have something for you."

"Well, I don't just draw I'm also good with graphic design." Clarke felt the need to defend. "I have a digital portfolio and a website."

Before Lexa could continue the conversation, she heard her name being called by a group of men in suits. "I better go," she said as she nodded over to the guys who called her over. She pulled up her small purse and dug through it before pulling out a white business card and handing it over to Clarke. "But if you're interested, call me tomorrow."

Clarke was about to speak when she noticed her date walk up. "I got us beer" he said as he held up two cold bottles.

Lexa watched as the shaggy haired boy handed the blonde a beer before turning to face her. "Hi," he held out his empty hand. "I'm Bellamy."

"Hi Bellamy," she shook his hand as she spoke, trying not to grimace at his cold, wet hands. "I'm Alexandria Woods, label owner."

"Do you want one?" Bellamy asked the brunette as he held up a beer.

"Oh, I-I don't drink." Lexa shook her head. Lexa turned her attention back to Clarke and gave her a small smile. "I should probably make my rounds." And with that, she waved at the couple and moved on to speak to other party guests.

* * *

Clarke paced around the small living room of her New York Apartment. She had her phone in one hand and the business card she received the night before in the other.

"You're going to burn a damn hole in our floor if you don't stop pacing." Raven commented as she observed her roommate from their living room couch. The brunette sat cross-legged with their tiny sand-colored puppy in her lap.

"Eat your yogurt and shut up." Clarke snapped back at her best friend. She continued to pace back and forth, occasionally looking down at the number printed on the bottom of the card.

"Call her or sit down," Raven said before taking a bite of her yogurt. "You're driving me insane." She said in a muffled voice.

"I don't know if I should call." Clarke admitted, finally stopping in her tracks. She had told Raven everything about the night before, including the potential job offer.

"What's the big deal?" Raven asked. "Just call her and set up an interview. She's clearly interested in hiring someone."

The blonde knew her roommate had a point but yet she still felt nervous about making the call. She couldn't tell if the nerves were from the fear of being rejected for the job or just having to speak to the hot owner again.

Clarke began to pace again causing Raven to sigh audibly. "I don't know if I'd be good for the job." The blonde admitted.

"Since when are you so self-conscious about your working ability?"

"I haze zero business experience," Clarke pointed out. "I can draw and design but I have no idea what I'll get myself into."

"That's why you take the interview and go from there."

Clarke stood quietly, looking between the phone, the card, and her roommate. She debated whether or not she should make the call or forget about it all together. But a small part of her wanted to speak to the gorgeous brunette again.

Raven couldn't take it anymore and quickly left the room, leaving the blonde to fend for herself. As soon as Raven was out of sight, Clarke began to type in the ten digit number into her phone. She waited nervously as the call went through.

"Hello, this is Alexandria at Grounder Records," the voice said lightly from the other line. "May I ask who's calling?"

Clarke swallowed hard before speaking. "Hi, Miss Woods, it's Clarke."

"Clarke?"

"Clarke Griffin," the blonde answered. "The art-"

"Oh yes, Clarke!" Lexa interrupted. "I'm sorry I've been in meetings for the last three hours and have forgotten everything."

"It's no problem. I was calling to discuss the open position for graphic designer."

"Well, Clarke," Lexa began but paused almost immediately causing Clarke to grow nervous. "I'm about to go into another meeting and won't be free until 6. Are you free to meet me at 7?"

"Yes!" Clarke replied with little to no hesitation.

"Great. Let's meet outside of The Ark at 7." Lexa suggested. "Don't forget to bring whatever portfolio you have."

"I will! I'll see you then."

"See you then, Clarke."

She was beginning to like the way that Lexa pronounced her name. The way it rolled off of her tongue was almost seductive.

As soon as Clarke hung up the phone, Raven reappeared with two coffee mugs and a smile plastered on her face. "So you got the job?" She asked.

"I didn't even get to ask about the job," Clarke sighed. "She's busy but we're meeting for dinner later."

"So you scored a date with a label owner?" Raven laughed. "You're totally getting laid before me. I'll get my money ready."

Clarke couldn't help but laugh at her roommates comments. The two had gone quite some time without sex and it was Raven's idea to start a bet on who'd get laid first. "Keep your money, Ray, i'm not going on a date and i'm most definitely not getting any tonight."

"But she's taking you to dinner and you know what follows after that." Raven joked.

"We're going on a _business_ dinner not a date," Clarke pointed out. "Plus with my luck she's probably hella straight."

"Not that that's ever stopped you before." Raven pointed out. Clarke instantly recalled the time she slept with a straight girl in college but that was a whole other mess.

"If I get this job she'll be my boss," Clarke reminded her best friend. "I'm sure that breaks like ten different rules."

"Well if you don't get the job at least try to get laid," the brunette joked. "You could use a woman's touch."

"After Finn, I could use anyone's touch." Clarke admitted.

"Do you want any help picking out an outfit?" Raven asked, trying to change the subject from the blonde's ex. "Even if it will end up on the hot girl's floor."

"Fuck you." She rolled her eyes and flicked her best friend off. She turned to leave the room but the brunette silently followed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Things will begin to pick up from here on out. You'll learn more about Lexa's past which will be important to her characterization. Any guesses as to what kind of baggage she might be carrying? I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

 _Ch 2: The Way She Says My Name_

"Hi, I have a reservation for two for Lexa Woods." The brunette spoke softly as she greeted the restaurant hostess.

The young girl looked down at a list and searched for the woman's name. After a few seconds of scanning, she crossed off the name and grabbed two menus. "Would you prefer inside or our heated outdoor seating?"

"Inside is fine," Lexa replied. "But somewhere a little private please."

"We'll get that table set up for you, Miss Woods."

"I'm going to wait outside for my guest."

Lexa stepped back out into the cold night, letting the breeze hit her exposed legs. She had lived in New York all her life and was too accustomed to the harsh weather that was common on a typical November night.

She knew she had made it to the restaurant a little early but she wanted to make sure she'd be the first to arrive. She decided to pull out her phone and check her emails while waiting for the blonde.

When she reached the end of her email stream, Lexa looked up and noticed a familiar face making her way towards her. She guessed the girl hadn't noticed her as she walked with her sight focused on her phone, occasionally looking up at the street signs.

"Clarke!" Lexa yelled out towards the blonde.

"Hey," Clarke sounded a little winded as she spoke. "Sorry I'm late. I was trying to figure out where to go."

"You're not late, Clarke, I was just early." Lexa admitted. "Did you walk?"

"I live about a mile and a half from here," Clarke shrugged. Her teeth began chattering and Lexa quickly noticed.

"Let's get you inside, it's freezing."

"Have you been waiting for me long?"

"No more than five minutes." Lexa admits. "The label's down the block so I stayed in the office after my meeting."

The hostess showed them to their seats and offered them their menus. She ran through the daily specials before disappearing back to her station.

Before the two could get into conversation, the waiter came up and took their orders. Clarke ordered the fish special with mashed potatoes and green beans, while Lexa ordered her regular house salad.

"So tell me something about yourself, Clarke." Lexa broke the silence left behind by the waiter.

"I-I like to draw." Clarke admitted. She instantly wanted to hit herself in the face for that half-assed response. "I mean, clearly you know that." She laughed nervously. This was starting off like a really bad date.

"I'm sure there's more to you than that." Lexa pried.

Clarke didn't know how honest was too honest but she felt like this interview wasn't as structured as any she'd ever been on anyway. "Well I have a degree in biology." She admits.

"Biology?" Lexa asks, perplexed by Clarke's revelation.

"I was premed in college but after I graduated I didn't want to pursue that anymore." Clarke admits. "I actually never really wanted to."

"Then why did you?"

"My mom's a doctor and so was my grandmother."

"So it was expected of you."

"All I ever really wanted to do was be an artist."

"What's your experience with graphic design?" Lexa asked, bringing the conversation back on course. Both girls remembering this was still an interview.

"I took a couple courses in college and I've done all my friend's announcements and invitations."

"Any work related experience?"

"I mostly freelance," Clarke reminded her. "So I've done some graphic designs here and there. Nothing like the album cover though."

"You said you had a portfolio, right?" Lexa asked. "Did you bring that?"

Clarke handed her a folder full of examples and Lexa immediately began to look through them. The blonde watched tentatively as Lexa observed her work. She had incorporated a mix of her previous jobs and event flyers she had drawn up for friends.

"Wow," Lexa let out accidentally. She was so mesmerized by Clarke's talent she couldn't even hold it in. "This is..."

"I know it's not the best work you've seen but-"

"No, Clarke, your work is..." Lexa couldn't even find the right words to say. "It's _really_ good."

"Thank you." Clarke blushed.

"You designed the brochure for Mount Weather University?" Lexa asked, still flipping through.

"It was for one of my graphic design classes," Clarke replies. She was slightly embarrassed by the fact that she had included that in her folder. "And the university really liked it so they started to use it the year after I graduated. I think they still do."

"You went to Mount Weather?"

"Yeah, go Moutaineers!" she said jokingly.

"No way, so did I!" Lexa couldn't believe it. Besides Lincoln and her best friend Anya, she didn't know anyone who had attended the small school from Brooklyn.

"What a small world." Clarke admits.

MWU was a small school. It was a surprise to both girls that neither of them had ever seen each other before or met at all while on campus. Clarke figured they must have attended at different times, since the brunette appeared to be a little older, but she didn't want to pry.

"You seem to have a fascination for space," Lexa changed the conversation. She had gone back to reviewing Clarke's portfolio and stopped at a few drawings of the solar system and the galaxy.

Clarke blushed. She wasn't used to being called out for her love for space. "I should have done a better job of cleaning out that portfolio," She says under her breath. "I didn't mean to include that."

"Why not?" Lexa asked, genuinely confused. "This is one of the best depictions of space I've seen in a while."

"They were starting points for the album artwork." Clarke admits.

After Lincoln had asked her to design their cover, Clarke spent almost three days drawing possible options. It was a funny coincidence that the band was named after a constellation and that the blonde was in love with anything space related.

"This is truly wonderful." Lexa couldn't help but continue to praise the blonde.

"I took a few astronomy classes in college too," Clarke reveals. "Enough to get a feel for my art."

"At Mount Weather?"

Clarke nodded. "About three separate courses."

"Did you take intro?"

"I had to."

"What year?"

It took a minute for Clarke to think back and remember when she took the introductory course. "Uh," she began. "It was my sophomore year."

"I took intro my senior year." Lexa admits. "I was that senior that waited until the last semester of college to take a science."

"What year did you graduate?" Clarke asked. She was too curious to know now.

"I graduated in 2010."

"And I in 2012," Clarke revealed. "Lexa, I think we had the same class."

"You took it second semester?" She asked.

"Second semester of my sophomore year." Clarke smiled. "I always sat in the front but that class had like 200 people that's probably why I never saw you."

Lexa let out a small laugh. "To be honest, I only went to class on exam days."

"Second semester senior." Clarke joked.

"Not even," she shook her head. "That's the year I started managing Lincoln and his band. I had basically started the label from my apartment."

"You seem very proud of Polaris," Clarke pointed out. "And I can see why now."

"They were the first to sign to my label." Lexa admits. "They'd come over and record music in my apartment and we'd stay up until the wee hours of the morning to package their EP."

Clarke was already fascinated by the brunette's success and her seemingly hard-working persona. "That's impressive." She let out.

"I guess you can say Lincoln and I took a chance on each other. He saw how much work and passion I put towards getting this label off the ground and running," Lexa explained.

"And you saw how talented he was." Clarke added.

"Those guys have been working so hard for this and they deserve it." She said before sipping on her water.

"Seems like such a great story to tell."

"It really is. I mean, that's why I started doing this, you know?" Lexa asked and Clarke nodded.

"Has music always been your passion?" Clarke asked. She feared she might be crossing the line from professional to personal again but she wanted to test the waters.

"Always." Lexa didn't hesitate in replying. "I'm no good with an instrument and I sure as hell can't sing but I can conduct good business and I had a market."

"Can I assume you studied business?" Clarke asked.

"Music business," the brunette corrected. "It's more niche than business itself."

Somewhere in between discussing college and Clarke's portfolio, the food had been served and the two ate in between conversation. Clarke made a dent in her plate but could not finish the entirety of her meal. Lexa, on the other hand, had completely demolished her salad.

"Would you ladies care for some dessert?" The waiter had returned and asked.

Lexa looked over at Clarke, giving her the opportunity to decide. "Would you like anything, Clarke?"

"I'm stuffed." She admitted.

"I think we're good." Lexa said to the waiter.

"I'll be back with the check." He stated before slipping away.

"Well, Clarke, I'm going to be really honest with you." Lexa finally returned the portfolio to blonde. Clarke stared at her, waiting to hear what she was going to say. This dinner had gone nothing like she had expected. Instead of having a nerve-wracking interview, she felt like she had gotten to know Lexa in a more personal level than a professional one. "You don't really have the experience I usually look for in a new hire."

Clarke's face went from hopeful to disappointed in a matter of seconds. "I understand." She stated, accepting her defeat.

"But I still want to hire you." Lexa revealed. There was something about the blonde that made her believe she'd be worth giving a shot to.

"Wait, really?"

"Yes." The brunette stared her right in the eyes as she spoke. "I see potential in you, Clarke, a lot of it."

"Are you serious?"

"I wouldn't joke about business. This company is everything to me." Lexa's face turned serious. "I know you don't have much experience in this field but I'll have you working with some of my best employees. I'll oversee much of the work you produce at first... for guidance."

"I-I-" Clarke was left speechless.

"Can you start next week?" Lexa asked.

"I can start now." Clarke admitted. She looked at her watch and then back at Lexa.

"This job will require you to work into the late hours but not tonight." Lexa laughed.

"I can seriously start whenever."

"Why don't you come by the office on Monday," Lexa took out her phone and added Clarke to her daily schedule. "We can discuss salaries and contracts. I can also have Anya train you."

The waiter returned with the check and dropped it off in front of the blonde. She couldn't help but see that the bill was a little over $60 on a meal for two. Lexa reached over and took the receipt without hesitation. She took out a crisp $100 bill and placed it on the table.

"How much do I owe you?" Clarke asked. She felt bad that the brunette had covered for such an expensive meal.

"Nothing," Lexa shook her head as she stood up from her chair. "It's my treat."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

The two put on their coats and made their way out of the restaurant. "So we have a company party this Saturday for the Polaris album release." Lexa admitted as they stepped back out into the cold New York night.

"I thought yesterday's party was the release party?" Clarke asked.

"One thing you'll learn in this business, Clarke, is that we never really stop throwing parties and planning events."

"I'm starting to realize that now."

"This one is just for the label and our guests," Lexa admits. "You should come."

"I feel bad making an appearance when I won't start until Monday."

"You're more than welcome to come. I can send you the information once my assistant finalizes all the logistics." Lexa says.

"I'd love to go and support the band." _And spend time with you_ , Clarke thought.

"You can bring your boyfriend too," Lexa half whispers. "I can add you both to the guest list."

Clarke turned to look at her and raised a brow. "My boyfriend?"

"The guy from the release party." Lexa quickly replies. "Bobby?"

"Bellamy?" Clarke giggles as she speaks. "You think Bel is my boyfriend?"

"Is he not?" Lexa questioned. She was curious to know.

"NO," Clarke brings up her arms in front of her, almost defensively. "He's like my brother. Gross." She feigns to throw up and Lexa can't help but laugh a little.

"You're still welcome to come... Boyfriend or not." Lexa suggested.

"I'll try to make an appearance then." Clarke promised.

A black mustang rolled up in front of the restaurant and Lexa stepped closer to it. A valet guy stepped out of the car and handed the keys off to the brunette. "Do you need a ride?"

"I'm just a ten minute walk from here." Clarke admitted. "I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Lexa asked. "I don't mind."

"No, really, I'm fine." Clarke insisted. She smiled politely at the woman in front of her.

"I'll see you on Saturday?" Lexa asked, extending her hand out to the blonde.

"I'll be there." She reiterated. Clarke shook the brunette's hand and made a mental note of how smooth her hands were.

"Get home safely, Clarke." The businesswoman insisted before walking over to her car.

Clarke couldn't help but melt at the way she said her name.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I see some of you are following this story... THANK YOU! Please leave a review and tell me what you think. More is coming with Lexa... This is just the beginning.**

 **Also, just to add some context, envision Polaris' sound to be like DNCE… indie pop meets rock.**

 _Chapter 3: Not Safe to Assume_

It was a cold, windy Saturday night in the heart of Manhattan.

Clarke blended into a group of people walking quickly. She was determined to make it to this party without being too late.

She had spent the past hour with Raven picking out an outfit to wear. She wanted to make an impression on the brunette who invited her but she wanted to be subtle about it.

Her best friend had suggested she dress down and show some skin, but Clarke was quick to point out multiple reasons why that wouldn't be a smart idea. The two ended up settling on a similar outfit to the one she wore to the last party, except this time instead of a button-up she went with a V-neck red blouse. She even traded in her previous leather jacket for her favorite black bomber jacket, the one her father had given her when she moved to college.

The blonde neared a cluster of bars and clubs and stopped in her tracks to verify she was still headed in the right direction. The email that Lexa had sent her the night before included the venue information and her personal number in case the blonde got lost. Of course the first thing she had done when she received the email was to save the number onto her phone.

"Get the fuck out of the way." She heard a male voice say before running into her. She kept her balance but her body took a few seconds to recover from the impact.

Clarke had lived in New York all her life but never gotten used to the shitty people she'd often encounter. "Fuck you." She yelled at the guy who was long gone by the time she looked up.

In typical city fashion, no one bothered to check with her and see if she was okay. Instead, she moved over to the side and looked around for the venue she was supposed to be at.

Clarke easily found the club and walked over to the short line. When she got to the front, she showed her ID to the bouncer who took a while to examine it. "How old are you?" He asked.

"Twenty-four." She replied.

He looked at her suspiciously as if he didn't believe her. His eyes trailed down to the blonde's exposed chest. Her cleavage was subtle but she could feel his stare burning into her skin.

"Okay you can go in." He said while handing her back the license, eyes still fixed on her boobs.

"Eyes up here, jerk." She mumbled to herself before walking in.

This wasn't the first time Clarke had to deal with skeezy bouncers, or males in general. That was the price she seemed to pay for having large breasts.

Clarke took the stairs up to the second floor as Lexa had instructed her. When she got to the top her jaw nearly dropped. The venue was _packed_. Lexa had changed the company party to a show instead and it seemed like half of Manhattan was inside that club.

She stood by the door for a little, looking around in hopes of seeing the brunette. She thought about calling her but the music from the band was too loud.

"Clarke!" Lexa lit up when she noticed the blonde standing by the entrance. "You made it."

"I told you I'd come."

 _I'm glad you did_ , Lexa thought but did not bother to voice this. "Let's move somewhere less congested." She suggested before lightly placing her hand on Clarke's back and guiding her towards the only empty space near the bar. The blonde swallowed hard when she felt the small contact of Lexa's hands on her back.

The two came to a stop and turned to face the band. Lexa leaned over and spoke into Clarke's ear, "There's an open bar if you want anything."

Clarke nodded, a small smile spreading across her face. "I'll be right back then."

She walked over towards the first open bartender and ordered a beer. On any other occasion she would have taken full advantage of the open bar, but she felt weird getting hammered in front of her future coworkers. Nor did she want to be a drunk idiot in front of Lexa, her new boss.

Clarke returned to Lexa with a beer in one hand and her free hand inside her black bomber jacket. She bobbed her head to the beat of the song and let her hips move from side to side. She turned to watch the show and the brunette couldn't help but steal a few glances at her new employee. She was beautiful, to say the least, and Lexa was slowly gravitating towards her.

"They sound so good," Clarke pointed out, bringing Lexa out of her daze. The current song playing sounded like synth beats fused with rock music. It was a great combination that had the entire room dancing and jumping.

Clarke began to let loose and found herself dancing to the beat. Lexa's eyes were fixed on the blonde as she swayed and turned in her spot. Her eyes trailed down to Clarke's chest and she swallowed hard. She didn't want to stare so she quickly shifted her gaze back towards the band. She hoped Clarke hadn't noticed the slip.

But the blonde had and unlike the previous encounter with the bouncer, she didn't feel objectified by Lexa. She noticed the way the brunette quickly caught herself and she could tell she meant no malice.

"I thought this was supposed to be a company party." Clarke tells Lexa over the music. Her hips were still moving to the beat but she wanted to talk to the girl beside her.

"It was until two days ago."

"What changed?"

"The boys got excellent reviews and positive feedback from the album release." Lexa began. "And they're already building such an intense fan base. So I made the executive decision of turning this into a private show."

"It's packed in here." Clarke pointed out. "How did you get all these people in here?"

"We hand picked fans from the New York area and we emailed them an invitation. For some we even direct messaged on our social media accounts."

"That's such a clever idea."

"I'm good at what I do." Lexa shrugged. She didn't seem like the cocky type but she was confident in her work, and that much Clarke could tell. And she liked it.

* * *

After the show ended and the fans had cleared out, Clarke hung around with Lexa as they waited for the band to come out from backstage. In the meantime, Lexa took the initiative to introduce the new employee to the remaining label staff that was staggered around the room.

"This is Clarke," She told them. "She's our new graphic designer."

Every single person she was introduced to shook her hand and welcomed her into the team. She could already tell that most of these people were good people and she wondered if Lexa was as easy going in their interviews as she was with her.

Lincoln and his band members came out after twenty minutes smelling of strongly of weed. "Hey, Clarke." He said before throwing his arms around her, enveloping her in a giant bear hug.

Lexa reintroduced Clarke to the other four members who she had previously met when working on the album artwork. "She's in the promotion department now." She told them.

"You're in good hands." Lincoln told Clarke with a slight wink that didn't go unnoticed by the the blonde.

"I think so too."

"Lexa is a visionary." He suggested. "She always knows what's best for the company."

"And all of us." Brad, the drummer added while pointing between the band guys.

Everyone got into their own side conversations and Clarke stood quietly beside Lexa who was now talking business with Lincoln.

"Did you all get to see Matt?" Brad asked, a little loud so everyone could hear.

Everyone went quiet and looked at Brad and then at Lexa. Clarke was confused about who this Matt guy was and why everyone seemed to be walking on egg shells at the mention of his name. She wondered who was going to speak up first.

"Yeah, what was he doing here?" Lincoln asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"I invited him." John, the bassist, admits.

"Bad move, bro." Brad shook his head in disappointment.

"Him and Cos-" John began but was interrupted by a hard elbow to the stomach from Lincoln.

"Not now." He insisted before narrowing his eyes at his bandmate.

Clarke looked to her right and noticed that Lexa had grown completely quiet. Her face had no expression and she was almost pale.

"I need to step outside." Lexa revealed before making her escape.

"Who's Matt?" Clarke asked Lincoln when Lexa was out of hearing range.

She wondered if he was an ex or maybe someone who'd done her wrong. The possibilities were endless and she wanted to know, but she knew the time would eventually come when things would be answered.

"He's our previous drummer. There's a lot of drama with him and he's not welcome here anymore." He admits. He looked back at the door where Lexa had just disappeared through.

It was clear to anyone that spent even the slightest amount of time with Lincoln and Lexa, that he was like her protective older brother. Clarke had gathered that much.

The blonde debated staying with the guys but she felt bad letting the other girl walk out on her own. She waited a couple of minutes, giving Lexa some space, before following the brunette.

Lexa had stepped out into the venue balcony to get some air and let her mind be at ease. She wanted to be far away from the thoughts that came back at the mention of that name.

She was too deep into thought that she didn't hear Clarke open the door. It wasn't until the girl was standing beside her that she noticed she wasn't alone anymore.

"You alright?" She asked softly.

"Yeah," Lexa lied. She was used to using her tough business exterior to appear okay.

"I know it's none of my business," Clarke paused, choosing the right words to say. "But I just wanted to make sure you're alright."

"I'm okay, Clarke." She lied again.

"Do you want a beer or something?" The blonde offered. She held up the almost empty beer bottle she had in her hand and then motioned towards the door.

"I don't drink." Lexa reminded her. It was always difficult for people to remember at first, so she didn't take it to heart that the blonde didn't remember.

"Right." She sighed. "Do you want a cigarette?" She offered next.

Lexa turned her face slightly to face the other girl, sporting a confused look on her face. "You smoke? You don't really look like the type that smokes."

"Only when I'm stressed."

"I'll take one." The brunette shrugged and put out her hand.

Clarke took out her pack from her purse and pulled out two cigarettes. She handed one to Lexa and placed the second one between her lips. "I'll light you." She offered as she brought up her hand and lit the cigarette.

"It's a beautiful night." Lexa observed.

Clarke smiled at her and nodded. "A little chilly," She admitted. "But still nice."

The two stood in silence for some time. Lexa looked off into the distance and Clarke stared out at the sky, observing the way the few clouds would overlap over the crescent moon.

The image of Lexa's emotionless face played in her head over and over again. Clarke wanted to ask so many questions. She wanted to learn everything she could about her but she knew that would be stepping over so many boundaries. After all, she was about to be her boss.

Lexa smoked her cigarette in silence, occasionally turning to look at the girl beside her who was too caught up looking at the stars and the moon. She noticed the concerned look on Clarke's face but she knew it was too soon to drop all her issues on the young girl. Where would she even start?

"You know what? Fuck exes." Clarke finally voiced a thought that wouldn't leave her brain.

"Exes?" Lexa was throw off by the sudden statement. It was random, to say the least.

"Yeah, like that Matt guy."

"He's not my ex, Clarke." Lexa admitted. She was still so confused.

"Matt's not your ex?" Clarke asked. Her face turned red from embarrassment. "I'm sorry I just assumed."

"We have to stop doing this." Lexa laughed.

"Doing what?"

"Assuming each other's personal lives." She shrugged.

"I'm sorry. That was incredibly unprofessional of me." Clarke admitted. She wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there forever.

"It's okay, I did the same to you the other night." The brunette smiled sympathetically. "Maybe instead of assuming we can just get to know each other." Lexa asked, testing the waters.

"I'd like that." Clarke admits. She turned her face away from Lexa to hide the smile that was plastered on her face.

The two finished their cigarettes and remained in silence. Neither wanting to admit that they were curious about each other's love lives.

"Mark is definitely not my ex, in fact, I don't have an ex-boyfriend period." Lexa admits. She figured it was the best time to answer the question Clarke was dying to ask.

"What about a boyfriend?" Clarke questioned.

"Definitely no boyfriend."

"No boyfriend," Clarke nodded. "So..." She was trying to let the information sink in but Lexa could tell she was having trouble putting two and two together.

"I'm gay, Clarke." She admits.

"Oh!" Clarke nearly hits herself in the head. "So you have a girlfriend?" Her voice almost upset at the realization that the brunette she's attracted to might be taken by another woman.

"I had." She says with a sad tone. "She's with Matt now."

Suddenly everything made some sense to Clarke now. "I'm sorry, Lexa."

"What about you?"

"I had a boyfriend but he's a two-timing ass." Clarke shrugged her shoulders.

"His loss," Lexa tells the blonde. She knew exactly what it felt like to be cheated on but she didn't want to dive back into the sadness that Costia caused her. So instead of opening up to Clarke about her own two-timing ass ex, she chose to save the conversation for another time.

"I should get inside." She admitted. "The boys are probably worried."

"I should probably head home. I'm sure my roommate is waiting for me." Clarke looked down at her watch and noticed it was nearing midnight.

"Thank you for this." Lexa said as she pulled Clarke in for a hug which neither girl wanted to pull away from.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4: I Kissed A Girl and She Liked It_

Clarke woke the day after the Polaris show with a sudden burst of inspiration. It had been a while since she had felt so eager to draw on her own will.

After changing out of her pjs and brushing her teeth, the blonde gathered her art supplies from her desk. She shoved her brand new sketchbook and pencil set into her bag and made her way over to the nearby coffee shop that she loved.

The place was pretty empty when she arrived so she had the luck of picking her favorite booth. A high-spirited barista came up to her as soon as she had settled in and asked her for her order. She debated between a hot chocolate and coffee but ended up going with the caffeinated beverage and a banana nut muffin.

The peppy girl took her order and left immediately to prepare it. The solitude gave Clarke the motivation to begin her sketch.

She had the image in mind since the moment she woke. For the first time in years, Clarke began to draw a person. She never drew another human unless it was for a job or by request, but she couldn't get this image out of her head.

Strictly from memory, Clarke sketched a side profile of Lexa standing on the balcony. The image of the brunette from the night before was etched in her mind. She remembers every detail including the way Lexa held the cigarette so delicately up to her lips.

"Can I take these plates from you?" Clarke was brought back to reality after a while by a new worker who was more than eager to help clear her table.

She had been too in the zone that she didn't even realize she had downed her coffee and eaten the rest of her cold bagel.

"Yes please." She smiled.

"That's really good." She told her while pointing at Clarke's drawing. She had set the sketchbook down on the table.

"Thanks." Clarke smiled proudly. She looked at her name tag, making a mental note that her name was Ellen.

"Can I get you another round?" Ellen asked.

"Just another cup of coffee please."

The girl took the empty plates and made her way towards the back of the counter.

Clarke was about to get back to finishing her sketch when she noticed a familiar brunette sitting alone two booths down from her. She did a double take and the blonde couldn't help but smile to herself.

Lexa was almost unrecognizable to Clarke. She was dressed in a plaid shirt over a skin tight V-neck. She was sporting small black-rimmed glasses with her hair tied back in a bun. Clarke liked this look on her, it was nice to see her so natural.

The brunette was too focused on her work to notice that Clarke was staring. A black pen lay between her lips as her green eyes focused on her laptop.

Clarke debated whether or not she should go say hi but eventually the _want_ to spend more time with the girl got the best of her. She immediately closed her sketchbook, grabbed her stuff, and walked over to towards the other girl.

"Lexa?" She asked the brunette when she stood right by her booth.

Lexa looked up and smiled brightly at Clarke. "Clarke, hey." She replied back. It suddenly hit her that she was dressed like she rolled out of bed, which she had.

"I was sitting over in that booth and I noticed you were here."

"Would you like to sit here instead?" Lexa asked. There was a thick black binder sprawled out on the table but she pushed it over next to the laptop in order to make room for the blonde.

"Are you sure I'm not distracting you?" Clarke asked nervously.

Lexa shook her head. "I'm almost done."

"Here's your coffee." Ellen returned and placed the mug in front of Clarke. She turned to look at Lexa. "Can I clear these for you?" She asked.

"Please." Lexa replied, not looking up from her laptop.

Ellen looked at Lexa then to the closed sketchbook that Clarke had in front of her. The blonde could only imagine what was going through her head. She could feel her cheeks turning red as the girl made the connection.

"Can I get you anything else?" Ellen asked.

"Just coffee." Lexa replied. She looked up to see if Clarke wanted anything but quickly noticed she was already sipping on her own.

Ellen made an effort to grab the the empty mug and two small plates that were scattered in the middle of the table. As she pulled back, her elbow knocked over Clarke's sketchbook onto the ground. The book fell open, revealing the drawing of Lexa.

"I'm so sorry!" Ellen cried as she pulled back with plates in arm. She made an attempt to pick up the book but her hands were already too full.

"I got it." Lexa said as she leaned over to pick up the fallen item. She let out a very audible gasp when she reached down and saw the opened sketchbook. Her hand brushed with Clarke's as she also tried to get to it.

"That's um," Clarke began to say but almost chocked on her words. She pulled back and looked at Lexa. "That's not finished yet."

Lexa took the book in her hands and stared at the image while the blonde put her face in her hands trying to hide her current bright red cheeks.

"Wow." Lexa let out. She was fascinated by how detailed the drawing was.

The blonde looked up with a shy smile. "You weren't supposed to see that."

"Did you draw this?" Of course Lexa knew the answer but she wanted to hear it from the girl.

"Yeah I was sketching it before I saw you."

"No one has ever drawn me." The other girl admits, eyes still fixed on the drawing. She ran her fingers lightly over the sketch.

"I'm sorry. You must think-" Clarke began to say.

"I think it's amazing." The other girl interrupted as she handed the sketchbook back to Clarke.

"Thanks."

"So what are you doing here?" Lexa asked when she couldn't bear the silence that eventually fell between them. "Besides drawing me."

"I like to come here when I'm feeling inspired." Clarke admits.

"So I inspired you?"

"I mean," The blonde didn't want to be so upfront but the girl wasn't giving her much of a chance to hold back. "Yeah, I guess you did."

"It's an honor."

"What about you?" Clarke asked. "Why are you here?"

"Working." She shrugged. "It's almost the end of the quarter"

"Who's playing?" Clarke asked.

Lexa let out a loud laugh. "A fiscal quarter, Clarke."

Clarke grew quiet, still not getting it. She didn't know jack shit about business. She was a visual person, she liked to draw. "Uh, I-"

But Lexa interrupted before she could speak, "You don't really know much about business, do you?"

"No, I really don't." Clarke admitted. She didn't want the other girl to look down on her for being so unaware, specially since she just took a job with her.

"It's okay," Lexa says sensing the blonde's worried expression. "I can show you what there is to know."

"I might need some coaching." Clarke admitted.

"But some other time." She points to the work in front of her and Clarke understands what she's trying to say.

"You looked really focused earlier," Clarke frowned. "I'm sorry if I ruined your concentration."

"Don't be, Clarke. Sometimes I don't remember to take breaks."

"I can get out of your way so you can finish"

"No please, stay." Lexa pleaded. She didn't mean to sound so desperate but now that the blonde was with her she didn't want her to leave her side so soon.

"I feel like I'm intruding."

Just as Clarke was going to get up and attempt to make an exit, Ellen returned with another mug of coffee. "I'm so sorry for earlier." She says. "Here's your coffee, ma'am."

She placed the mug in front of Lexa who thanked her almost immediately.

An idea came to Lexa's mind just as Ellen was about to turn away."Can you actually make this to go?" She asked.

"Yes, of course."

"And I'll be closing out my tab." Lexa began to fish through her backpack and then pulled out a wallet. "Add hers to mine too."

"What? No!" Clarke protested. "You don't have to do that."

"I want to." She handed Ellen her credit card and signaled for her to leave quickly before Clarke could change her mind.

"You really didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

Lexa grabbed her binder and placed it in her backpack. She typed a few things in her laptop before closing it and packing it up.

Clarke was extremely confused at Lexa's sudden rush to pack up. "Are you heading out?" She asked.

"I can finish this later tonight." She shrugged. "Do you have any plans right now?"

"No, none."

"Would you like me to show you the recording studio?" Lexa asked. She figured she'd give the blonde a tour of the place where she'd be spending a lot of her time once she came into the company.

"I thought you said someone else was going to give me the tour."

"Anya will give you a tour of the office," Lexa began. "But the studio is about a block away from here and it's where all our bands go to record."

"I'd love that."

* * *

"Wait here." Lexa instructed Clarke before opening the door to the record studio. An alarm went off in the distance and Lexa disappeared inside to shut it off.

Clarke watched as the door closed behind the brunette. She walked a few steps towards the curb and sat down to wait.

"You coming?" Lexa asked from the door as soon as Clarke's ass touched the pavement.

"I thought you'd be longer." Clarke admitted as she stood back up.

"I just went to shut off the alarm."

Lexa held the door open for the blonde who entered and stepped to the side. She let the other girl lead the way past dark rooms. They followed the hallway all the way down until the end. There was a wall ahead of them with two signs. One read "Grounders Studio" and the other read "Artist Lounge".

"I'll show you the studio first." Lexa stated as she led them in the direction of the recording studio.

As soon as Clarke stepped into the room she was completely awestruck. "It's..." She started to say but she couldn't even find a word to describe it. "Wow."

"This is where the magic happens." Lexa joked.

If Clarke hadn't been so mesmerized by how large and swanky the studio looked she probably would have made a side comment. "I bet." She says instead.

"Lincoln and the boys were the first to use it."

"Can I?" Clarke looked at Lexa and then gestured to the soundboard. She had never been in a studio before so everything about the room was new to her.

Lexa nodded and watched as Clarke inched closer towards the long mixer. She smiled as she observed how the blonde was like a kid in a candy store.

"Do you produce too?" The blonde asked as she ran her finger fingers over the the nobs and dials.

"I have, yes." Lexa admitted. "There's actually a demo that Polaris recorded and I produced but we cut from the album."

"Why?" Clarke turned and asked.

"It wasn't as good as the ones that made it."

"I'd like to hear it." The blonde admitted.

"Maybe another time." Lexa smiled. She walked over to stand next to Clarke and the blonde looked on as she messed with mixer. "You want to give it a try?"

"Sure." Clarke replied.

"Let's record something first." Lexa suggested. She walked into the live room where all the instruments and mics were and waited for Clarke to follow.

"I don't know how to play any of these." The blonde stated when Lexa handed her a guitar.

"Don't worry i'll teach you a chord and you can just strum it a couple times." She suggested. "Let's just do a G chord."

Lexa grabbed a second guitar and placed the strap over her shoulders. She turned to face the other girl so she could get an easy view. Clarke mimicked Lexa's actions and placed her fingers on the right chord.

"Like this?" She asked and Lexa nodded.

"Okay, just strum that a few times."

Clarke did as told. "This is isn't too bad."

"Okay now i'm going to give you a rhythm."

"Make it easy."

"Down, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down Down." Lexa said slowly as she played the strumming pattern for Clarke.

It took the younger girl a few times to get the pattern down but she smiled proudly to herself once she was doing it. After Clarke got the handle on the guitar, Lexa recorded a couple minutes of her playing the strumming pattern.

"Now drums." Lexa instructed. She sauntered over to the drum set and let Clarke take a seat on the stool.

"I have zero hand-eye coordination," Clarke admitted as she sat.

Lexa handed her two drumsticks and leaned down to speak, "Let me show you." She said as she took Clarke's hands in hers and guided her through. "Just hit the kick drum when you want."

The two found a rhythm almost immediately. Lexa was enjoying how easily they were synchronized. She also couldn't help the way her grip on Clarke's hands tightened when she got a wave of her sweet perfume. The blond smelled incredible.

Clarke's breath hitched as she felt Lexa basically pushed up closer. Her hands were soft holding the brunette's and it took almost everything in her to pay attention to the task at hand.

"I thought you said you don't play." Clarke said when they finally stopped playing.

"I know enough to get by but definitely not to join a band." Lexa replied. "I prefer to sign them."

"You're a pretty good instructor, though."

"I learned from the best."

"Lincoln?"

Lexa nodded. "Let's put these together, shall we?"

They exited the live room and returned to the soundboard. Clarke watched tentatively as Lexa sat down in the control room and began to push buttons and turn nobs. The brunette explained what each one did and how it was all affecting the sound but Clarke was half listening. She was still trying to let her heart settle down from the closeness of when she was drumming.

Lexa stood up and faced Clarke, noticing that she no longer had her full attention. "Are you okay?" She repeated her question.

Clarke didn't speak, she took a step forward towards the brunette who instinctively took one backwards. Lexa's hands grabbed on to the edge of the mixer, stopping herself from falling.

The blonde's focus was going from her lips to her green eyes. Without a second to consider, she leaned forward and captured the brunette's lips in her own. It was a rush of adrenaline that came out of nowhere.

The initial kiss was innocent, but Lexa, caught in her own daze, kissed back twice as hard. One of Clarke's arms wrapped around her waist while the other held the back of her neck, deepening the embrace.

It wasn't long before Lexa was desperate for air and pulled away from the kiss. Clarke reopened her eyes and stared at the tall girl with her ocean blue eyes. Her eyes were full of desire, something that she definitely could not hide even if she wanted to.

"Shit," She said. "I'm so sorry."

She took a few steps back as Lexa just watched. The brunette was silent, unsure of what to say in response. There were so many things that could be said but she had suddenly gone speechless.

"I should go." Clarke exclaimed. She walked over to a chair and grabbed her bag.

Lexa wanted her to stay but still nothing came out of her mouth. It was like she had forgotten how to say words let alone formulate a sentence. When she finally came to her senses it was too late, the blonde had already disappeared.

Lexa traced the place where Clarke's lips had just been. All she knew was that she had been kissed by the blonde and _she liked it._

 **Thank you for those who have followed/reviewed this story. I'm trying to update as quick as possible. I _really_ would appreciate a review or any comments you have. Helps me continue writing! Enjoy.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5: The Truth_

Clarke can't stop thinking about the kiss she shared with Lexa. It's all she's been thinking about since she got out of bed and made her way over to the office for her first day on the job.

She's so caught up in thoughts about the kiss and what will happen when she is reunited with the other woman that she ends up getting lost.

Upon finally finding the building, she almost sprints over to the woman behind the front desk. "Hi, I'm Clarke Griffin. I'm here to see Lexa Woods." She says between breaths.

"I'll tell her you're here." The young receptionist says before picking up the phone.

Clarke watches as she dials three numbers and waits for the tone.

"Hi, Miss Woods, I have a Clarke Griffin here to see you."

The young girl sits back in her chair and looks onto the computer. Clarke could hear Lexa's voice coming from the phone receiver but she couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Will do." The young girl replied back before hanging up the phone. Before Clarke could ask what was said, the girl picked up the phone again and dialed three more numbers.

She listened closely as the receptionist asked Anya to come down and give her a tour of the office, as requested by Miss Woods.

After only five minutes of waiting, Clarke was approached by a woman who stood about an inch taller than her. "Hi, I'm Anya." She said as she extended her hand out for Clarke to shake. "I'm the marketing director here at Grounder Records. You will be mostly working under me."

"Nice to meet you." Clarke shook her hand. "I'm Clarke Griffin."

"I've heard a lot about you, Clarke." Anya smiled at the blonde.

"Good things, I hope."

"Very good things, actually." She smirked. Clarke wondered just how much Lexa had told the woman in front of her.

"I'm happy to hear that."

"I'm going to give you a quick tour of the office." Anya began. "After you see where we work, I can show you to Lexa's office."

The two walked over to the elevator in silence.

"You must have really impressed Lexa," Anya spoke as soon as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in. "She's a really tough interviewer."

Clarke couldn't help but smile at the revelation. Her interview with Lexa had been more like a friendly dinner than an interview.

"I'm very fortunate that she's given me this job." Clarke admitted.

"We were all really impressed with your art for the album."

"Thank you." The blonde blushed.

Anya and Clarke stepped out of the elevator onto the fourth floor of the building. The first rooms they visited were meeting rooms that the booking managers and booking department used on a regular basis. "This floor is for all the booking staff." Anya informed her.

The next stop in their tour was two floors above where Clarke met a couple of the artist managers. Music blared from various rooms and the blonde couldn't help but bob her head to a nearby beat. "Is this floor always like this?" She asked Anya.

"There's always somebody playing music in this building." The businesswoman replied. "You get used to it, I promise."

Anya eventually had to end their tour early when she got a phone call from a big business partner. She was anxious to get to her office but knew she had to show Clarke the way to Lexa's floor.

"Take the elevator to ten to get to the executive suite." She instructed the blonde as she held her hand over the speaker of her phone.

"Executive suite?" Clarke asked, confused.

"It's where Lexa's office is."

"Okay. Tenth floor. Got it." She nodded.

The ride up was quick. The elevator doors opened and revealed a very spacious floor with a lot of natural light. There was meeting room with glass walls on the right, furnished with a long white table and at least ten chairs. On the left, there was a small waiting area, a desk with a desktop and two doors that Clarke assumed led to Lexa's office.

When Clarke stepped out of the elevator, she was greeted by a dark-haired woman. She held an Ipad in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

"You must be Clarke." She said with a smile.

Clarke nodded and flashed her a tiny smile. "Clarke Griffin." She responded.

"I'm Ontari, Miss Wood's personal assistant."

"Nice to meet you." She repeated the phrase she'd been using the last half hour.

"I'll let Miss Woods know you're here." Ontari informed.

Clarke walked over to the big windows that overlooked the city skyline. She imagined herself drawing this view of the city that she loved.

"Beautiful view, isn't it?" She heard a familiar soft voice say from behind.

The blonde instantly turned her face to find Lexa standing behind her. She couldn't help but marvel at the woman who she had kissed nearly 24 hours ago.

Clarke thought the brunette was too beautiful for words. Her hair was done in a half ponytail with her wavy curls falling in front of her chest and she wore a new jumpsuit and leather jacket combo, an outfit very similar to the one she wore the first time they met.

"This place is sick." Clarke admitted. "You can see everything from here."

Lexa walked over and stood next to Clarke who had turned back to staring out of the window again. A strong whiff of lavender and vanilla hit the blonde and she couldn't help but smile at the smell that emanated from the other girl, a smell she was starting to adore.

"Let's talk in my office." Lexa offered.

Clarke nodded in compliance and followed the other woman as she led her to the double doors. Before they walked in, Lexa turned to face the young receptionist who was typing frantically at her desk. "Ontari, please hold my calls." She ordered nicely.

"Of course, Miss Woods."

Lexa opened one of the doors and held it open for Clarke as she stepped inside. The office was larger than the blonde had envisioned it. It was like she had stepped into a different world. Much like many of the other offices she'd seen in the building, the room was surrounded by glass. Straight ahead from the doors was a large desk with two chairs and one behind the desk, presumably Lexas.

"Nice office." Clarke told Lexa as she walked slowly to the desk. She focused her attention all around the room.

"I wanted something comfortable." Lexa admits.

Clarke's gaze fell onto the back of the room which was designed like a mini-living room. There were two semi-long couches and a reclining chair. A large television hung from the wall and below it was a full stereo system. Clarke assumed the entire system was worth more than her personal net worth.

"You expect company?" Clarke joked.

"I have people up here from time to time to listen to new recordings and watch back live performances."

Clarke walked over to Lexa's desk and took a seat while Lexa hovered by a cabinet. She bent over and shuffled through some papers. The blonde fought the urge to check her out.

Lexa settled on sitting next to Clarke instead of across. "Did you find the building easily?" She asked as she sorted the papers in her hands.

"To be completely honest, no." Clarke laughed. "I got lost and I ended up getting here a little late. I'm sorry."

"Try to be on time from here on out." She suggested and Clarke noted.

The two quickly fell into conversation about Clarke's contract and most importantly, salary. Lexa offered her a nice 75K a year salary to start off with and the potential for a raise after the first year. She was also getting benefits and a good 401K plan, all of which Clarke knew little about.

"The guy before was earning a little over half," Lexa told her. "But he wasn't as versatile as you and the talent was just not as good as yours."

Clarke felt happy that the girl had so much respect and faith for her. She was a little ashamed that she wasn't so well versed in any of this business and money stuff. She knew medicine and she knew how to draw. Her experience making more was from part-time jobs in college and the freelance jobs she's had since. She made a mental note to have her mother explain what everything meant.

The two agreed to the terms of the contract. Lexa even offered to give her national holidays off plus company-wide vacations. And she scored a two-week paid vacation after the first three months.

"Since you're laying out all this information for me and explaining rules, I have a question." Clarke stated after signing the contract.

"Please, ask whatever you want." Lexa insisted.

"What's the policy on dating?"

Clarke smirked at Lexa as she asked and the brunette couldn't help but blush.

"Intercompany dating?" Lexa asked in an attempt to clarify.

"Yeah."

"We have no policy against it. I feel that regulating my employee's love lives just makes for a hostile environment."

"So I could…"

"You could." Lexa nodded.

"With anybody?"

"With anybody."

"Even you?" Clarke asked, testing the waters. She noticed Lexa's eyes grow slightly wide at the question.

"Even me."

"Not that I'm trying to-" she began. "I'm just curious."

Lexa smiled and nodded. "Any other questions?"

"I'm sure some will come to me later." Clarke said. "I can see myself out."

"Wait, no." Lexa asked. She reached out and grabbed Clarke's wrist as soon as the girl had stood up. "There's something else I want to discuss with you."

Clarke sat back down before speaking. "What's up?" She asked.

"You kissed me."

Clarke noted the tone change and she could tell that Lexa's professional skin had shed. The way she spoke was lighter, almost sensual. "I am so sorry for that," She began. "I don't know what got over me."

"You didn't have to leave." Lexa frowned. "You didn't give me a chance to speak."

"I was embarrassed."

"Why?" Lexa grew slightly self-conscious and the blonde noticed.

"It's not what you think," She began. "You're a great kisser it's just I'm…"

"I knew it!" Lexa looked down and shook her head. "You're straight, aren't you?"

"I'm definitely not straight." Clarke defended. She was a slightly offended that the girl had assumed as much.

"Are you bi?" she asked. The blonde noticed the way she said the last word as if it held a negative connotation.

"If you want to put a label on it, sure. "

"So yes?"

"Does it matter?"

Lexa bit the inside of her mouth and looked away. She couldn't explain this sudden feeling she was getting. She could feel Clarke's eyes were focused solely on her.

"Lexa, what does it matter if I'm bi?" Clarke tried again.

"Bi girls are all the same." She admits.

"Excuse me?" Clarke was taken back by the comment.

"Fake love with a girl then run back to the arms of a man."

Clarke could tell this wasn't a dig at her, that the words were directed at someone else, but she still felt the need to defend herself. "Contrary to what any television show tells you, we're not all experimenting hypersexuals." She began. "Some of us are actually fully capable of loving someone and being monogamous."

Just as Lexa was going to speak, the phone rang and she was forced to stand up to answer it. "I thought I said hold my calls." Lexa said with an annoyed tone.

Clarke noticed the professional skin had returned. She watched tentatively as the brunette's face fell. "That's not my emergency to handle." Lexa's voice broke. "I don't want any calls about it."

The blonde was confused but she could tell that whatever news the other girl had gotten was starting to break her.

Lexa slammed the phone down when her conversation ended. She looked anywhere but at Clarke. Tears were trying to escape but she fought hard to not let them fall.

"Lexa, are you-" Clarke tried to ask but was interrupted by the brunette's sudden break. Although she had fought the tears, it was nearly impossible not to break down.

"Please leave." She demanded between sobs.

"What's wrong?" Clarke tried again.

"It's nothing." Lexa insisted. "Just leave."

The blonde stood up and took a few step towards Lexa, refusing to acknowledge the other woman's request. She pulled her in for a tight hug and the brunette let herself be taken into Clarke's sheltering arms.

Clarke led them from the desk to the back of the room so they could be seated on the couch. She kept one arm tightly wrapped around Lexa's waist as the other girl cried into her shoulder.

"Lexa, what happened?" She asked when the two had finally sat down.

"I worked so hard to get better," Lexa began. Her face was still nuzzled into Clarke's chest as she spoke. "I was doing fine."

"Did something happen with the label?" Clarke asked.

Lexa pulled back to look at the blonde and shook her head. "My ex," She tried to speak but had to pause to breathe through the crying. "My ex-girlfriend had her baby." She admits.

Clarke was the first person who Lexa had spoken to about Costia since the mess with her had happened. Anya and Lincoln knew everything, they were there for her when she needed it the most. Even the boys from the band knew their fair share. Lexa knew that the time would eventually come when she'd be ready to share her past with the girl who sat worried in front of her. But she couldn't hold back anymore, she was breaking in her arms and the girl deserved some answers.

"Costia?" Clarke asked, surprised with herself for remembering the name.

"Her and Matt," Lexa tried to say but was interrupted by more tears. "They had their baby."

Lexa's heart ached as she spoke the information out loud. She didn't want to believe that this was real, that the girl she once loved was starting a family with someone else. She cried harder than before and Clarke couldn't help but bring her back into her arms.

She held her tight and let her cry while she caressed the small of her back, absentmindedly. Lexa enjoyed the way she was holding her and she let herself be protected by the other girl's arms. After five minutes of being in this position, Lexa straightened herself up and wiped away her tears. It had suddenly hit her how close the two were getting. "You must think i'm so crazy." She said with small laugh.

"No, not at all." Clarke was adamant. "You loved her, didn't you?"

"I thought she was the one."

"What changed?"

"She cheated on me." Lexa said. The words felt like vile on her tongue.

"And got pregnant?"

Lexa nodded. "She was having an affair with Matt for six months before I found out." She admits.

"Did she tell you?" Clarke couldn't help but think back to when she found out about her own ex-lover's infidelity.

"I walked right in on them going at it." Lexa grimaced.

"Lexa, I-" The blonde tried to sympathize but she was interrupted.

"I came back from a business trip a day early just to be with her. When I got home I heard moans and I assumed she was, you know..." Lexa blushed slightly as her voice trailed off. "...touching herself. But I walked in to her on top of him. In our bed. _My bed._ "

Clarke could feel her blood slowly start to boil with every word Lexa spoke. _How could someone hurt her like that_ , she thought.

"So I called kicked her out and called Lincoln and he dealt with Matt." Lexa continued.

"What happened to Matt?" Clarke asked.

"He was forced out of the band by Lincoln. The guys care about their music and they knew if he didn't get kicked out they would risk losing their deal with me."

"Would you really drop them?"

"I don't know what I would have done in that time," Lexa admits. "I was on fight or flight mode."

"How long were you together before she cheated?" Clarke inquired. She wanted to know more about the situation.

"Almost three years." Lexa's voice hitched as she answered. "We got together after I moved and started the label."

"That's a long time."

Clarke was trying to let all this information sink in. She thought getting cheated on by Finn was bad, but she felt worse for Lexa. It was clear that the brunette loved Costia and that the falling apart did some damage on her heart. It didn't help that the affair resulted in a pregnancy because now all Lexa could ever see in the child is the betrayal and heartbreak.

"I'm afraid to love again." Lexa admitted after the two had fallen into a silence.

"I promise you that there are good people out there." Clarke replied. "And you will find someone who will cherish you and love you the way you deserve."

"Is that what you told yourself?" Lexa asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The other day you said your ex was a two-timing ass," She began. "I assume he cheated as well?"

"It's different with Finn, our relationship was very intense in the physical sense. It was all about sex until I fell in love and well, he didn't." Clarke shrugged. She had told this story so many times that she had grown immune to the pain. "But he stuck with me for a year and faked love because I took care of him."

"I'm so sorry, Clarke." Lexa placed her hand on the blonde's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"We broke up last summer and when I told him I wanted out he basically gave me a list of girls he'd been sleeping with on the side."

"That bastard."

"He's just no the relationship type," Clarke admitted. "And I found out too late."

"You don't seem so upset about it." Lexa pointed out. "How?"

"I had my time to cry it out. I didn't have a social life for a month after the break up and my best friends just pulled me back into reality."

"You're so strong."

Lexa realized her weakness came from the fact that she never let herself cry the way she just had. She had thrown herself back to work so quickly after the incident that she never allowed herself time to grieve.

"It's a great feeling to move on," Clarke promised. "The day I realized I was over Finn was the day I figured out I could be with someone again."

"That's what I want."

"You just have to find the right one."

The two were silent for a while, both trying to process the information that was just shared. The conversation from earlier came back to Clarke's mind and she couldn't help but ask Lexa for clarification.

"Is Costia the reason you're so... biphobic?" She asked. She didn't want to use that word since it tends to get thrown around a lot but it was a question that needed an answer.

"I'm not biphobic." Lexa promised. Sure she had said some things that were a little offensive but she meant not harm by them, she was just pent up with emotions. There was definitely a deeper, personal issue that was clouding her judgement.

"What you said earlier about all bisexuals being the same was pretty harsh."

"I've been so angry and hurt by what Costia did that I let it get to me. I didn't mean to generalize the situation like I did. I had pushed the sadness aside and focused on work." Lexa admitted.

"We are not all the same." Clarke promised. "I've been with three people in my life, each one separately and I was completely faithful to each."

"You don't have to defend yourself." Lexa frowned. She didn't want to make the girl feel like she had this misconstrued image of her.

"I feel like I have to." She replied. "I don't want you to think i'm like that."

"I'm sorry for what I said." Lexa said. Her apology was genuine and Clarke could tell she was slowly getting through to her.

 **Some, but not all, of Lexa's past has been revealed. Good things are coming, Clexakru. Please please please review and let me know what you think. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter/story.**


	6. Chapter 6

The month of November quickly came to an end and before Clarke knew it, it was mid-December, and one of the coldest months New York had ever seen.

Streets filled with snow and schools around the city got cancelled but for her, work went on. She had officially been at Grounder Records for exactly a month. She'd grown to love her department and everyone on the team had gotten very accustomed to having her around.

From the first day on, Clarke was quickly put to work by Lexa and the marketing director, Anya. She was assigned several promotional posters to design for company events along with an album artwork for another band.

Two weeks into the job, the company got a couple days off for Thanksgiving break which Clarke spent with her mother in Queens.

Back at work, she and Lexa had fallen into a system of trying to see each other as much as possible without the other realizing. Clarke tried to deliver all marketing related information directly to her on Wednesdays after their meetings, and Lexa made up excuses to check in on the marketing department.

At first she would come down and check in on Clarke, make sure she was doing well, then when the blonde had clearly gotten the hang of it, she would come down with the excuse of checking in on the department.

Before Clarke joined the team, Lexa never lingered or checked in on any departments except through meetings with the department heads. Anya could see right through her best friend and was quick to figure out her intentions.

Neither Clarke nor Lexa acknowledged their kiss again, nor did they speak about the day that Lexa opened up to her about her ex. The two were cordial and often flirty, mostly on Clarke's behalf, but never did they get a full fifteen minutes to talk about anything other than work. The tension between them was growing stronger, and the blonde, under the influence of her roommate Raven, wondered how long it would take before she and Lexa got together.

"Hello, earth to Clarke" Octavia said as she snapped her fingers in front of the blonde's face.

"Did you say something?" Clarke asked, startled by her best friend's actions.

She was too caught up in her thoughts about Lexa that she didn't notice her two best friends trying urgently to get her attention.

"Come back to earth, sky princess." Raven joked from across Clarke's room.

"Yeah, stop thinking about getting it on with your boss." Octavia added.

"Did you need something?" Clarke asked sternly.

"Actually, yes. I asked about work… twice." Octavia replied with her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry I'm just a little bit out of it." The blonde admits, defeated.

"Aw, the working girl is tired." Octavia mocked.

"It's not that."

Octavia cocked an eyebrow and titled her head to the side. Clarke knew this look far too well, her best friend was analyzing her. "It's Lexa, isn't it?" She asked.

"Guys, I can't crack her." Clarke huffed as she sat down at the edge of her queen-sized bed.

"From what you told me she's totally into you," Octavia pointed out. "Maybe she's just nervous to make a move since you work for her."

"I think she's still scared that the past will repeat itself." Clarke frowned.

She had told Octavia and Raven about her conversation with Lexa, but only that she had been cheated on as well. The blonde respected her too much to fully reveal all the intimate details of her private life.

"Maybe you can get her drunk tonight and she'll spill her guts." Octavia joked.

"She doesn't drink," Clarke admitted. "So that's not going to happen."

"Who the hell doesn't drink?" Raven interjected.

"I don't know," Clarke shrugged. "I haven't asked her why."

"Wait, wait. She's throwing a legit party for her label but she doesn't actually drink?" Octavia asked.

"Will there even be booze?" Raven quickly asked. "You know I'm only coming for the free booze."

"It's their annual Christmas party that Lexa throws at her best friend's house." Clarke began to explain. "It's one of the times the company comes together and has like a full house party."

"I don't get the people in the music business." Raven joked as she shook her head in disbelief.

"That must be so boring for her." Octavia stated.

"She said she usually leaves early once she's greeted everyone and given them presents." Clarke informs them.

"Do we get presents?" Raven asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Not all guests," Clarke began. "Just the workers."

"Alright, let's start getting ready for this party." Octavia suggested.

The girls had been listening to music in Clarke's room and catching up for almost two hours.

It was the first time since Octavia got back from a three-month trip to France that the three got to spend time together.

After concluding their conversation, they sat around different sides of the bedroom and began to apply make up.

"I've missed this." Clarke admits after they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Me too," Raven and Octavia said in unison.

When their playlist ended, Raven walked over to Clarke's dresser and began to search through the music on the blonde's iPhone. The sight reminded Clarke of college, when they'd fallen into a routine of getting ready together for big events.

"Make sure it's something fun." Octavia ordered from the other side of the room. She always went head-to-head with Raven when it came to choosing music.

A new song filled the room as the girls went back to getting ready for their eventful night. Clarke finished her make up first, as she always did since she liked to keep it minimal, and walked over to her closet. She had already picked out a red dress with black tights to wear with a comfortable but warm jacket to top it off.

When a Polaris song came on, the three of them couldn't help but start dancing.

"This is really good," Octavia pointed out as she bopped her head to the beat. "Who is this?"

"Polaris." Clarke quickly replied.

"The one you drew the art for?" Octavia questioned.

"Damn, O, you really are behind on everything." Raven laughed as she swayed to the beat.

"I'm sorry for being out of the loop!" Octavia frowned.

"They'll likely be at the party tonight." Clarke informed them.

"Speaking of party guests," Raven began to say with a smirk plastered on her face. "I really hope one of your coworkers is hot, I need to get laid."

"Don't you dare sleep with one of my coworkers." Clarke quickly warned.

"Worried I'll win the bet?" Raven smirked again.

"Are you two seriously betting on sex again?" Octavia rolled her eyes, not really too surprised at her best friends.

Raven and Clarke looked at each other with grins and both immediately burst into laughter. "It was her idea." Clarke defended and pointed at Raven.

"I've got my lucky underwear on so after tonight there will no longer be a bet." Raven smiled proudly.

"Are you going to try and get with your girlfriend?" Octavia turned to Clarke and asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"One, she's not my girlfriend," Clarke quickly defended. "Two, I'm not trying to get with anyone."

"Clarke Griffin," Octavia began. "You are in way too deep."

"What? No, I'm not!" Clarke continued to defend.

"Oh cut the crap, C." Raven rolled her eyes. "We know you too damn well."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clarke asked.

"You're like a love-sick puppy." Octavia pointed out. "You're pinning over your boss"

"You really like her." Raven added.

"Why are you guys attacking me right now?" Clarke looked down and blushed, trying to avoid their eyes.

"We're not attacking you." Octavia defended.

"You haven't been this giddy about someone in years." Raven added. "It's nice to see it again."

"I think you need to ask her out." Octavia suggested.

"We're done talking about this!" Clarke rolled her eyes and began to walk out of her bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Raven asked.

"To take some shots." Clarke answered. "If I'm going to be dealing with this tonight I'll need to be drunk."

…..

Clarke and the girls ended up taking a cab to the address that Anya had provided her the previous day. They were notorious for rolling up to parties later than expected and this arrival was no different. When they stepped inside, the house was pretty full and people looked like they too were already pretty drunk.

The blonde had taken two shots and finished a mixed drink before even exiting her apartment, and she could feel the effects of the alcohol quickly hitting her system.

"Hey Clarke!" Lincoln yelled from behind her when she made her way deeper into the party. Octavia and Raven followed the voice and turned to find an attractive man calling their best friend over.

"You made it!" He added. Lincoln was standing next to Brad, whose eyes were fixed on the Latina beside Clarke.

"Lincoln, Brad," Clarke said as she pointed to each one. "These are my best friends Octavia and Raven." She continued to introduce.

"Raven Reyes." The Latina introduced herself first to Lincoln followed by Brad. She lingered a little as she shook Brad's hand and Clarke knew she'd be paying up her debt the next morning. The two were practically eye-fucking.

"I'm Octavia Blake." The brunette followed suit.

"You're Bellamy's sister?" Lincoln asked almost instantly.

"Unfortunately." She sighed.

"Your brother is tight. He hooked me up with Clarke for the album art." Lincoln smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Octavia."

"You too," She smiled back.

Clarke noticed the instant chemistry between them and couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for the two of them to try and get together.

She stayed with the two guys and her best friends for fifteen minutes before becoming a fifth wheel. When the four were preoccupied with conversation, she made her escape. "I need to get a drink." She said before leaving the small group.

She felt a little guilty for ditching her friends so quickly into the party but they were both too preoccupied with the band boys who won their attention.

She stumbled her way toward the kitchen in search for a drink, her eyes hunting for Lexa in the meantime.

"Careful," Anya said as she stepped behind Clarke and grabbed a cup for her. "That punch is pretty strong."

"Hey Anya." Clarke smiled when she saw her.

"You're already drunk?" She asked.

"Tipsy?" Clarke laughed. "I pregamed."

"Help yourself to whatever drink you want." Anya suggested.

"Have you seen Lexa?" Clarke asked as the other woman turned to leave.

"She should be here somewhere." Anya replied before leaving.

When finally alone, Clarke filled up her cup with the punch that Anya had previously mentioned. Upon trying it, she almost spits it all out. "Fuck." She muttered to herself.

The punch was, as Anya put it, _strong_. It was like a combination of 75% vodka and 25% whatever juice mix was used. Clarke couldn't make out the taste of anything but the vodka. Either way she drowned half the cup before she even exited the kitchen.

For twenty minutes, the blonde stumbled her way around the house looking for Lexa but when she fails to locate her, she settles with stepping outside into the patio to get some air.

The below-freezing weather has kept everyone inside but she was dying for a smoke and too drunk to notice the cold air. She sat down on the top step and took out her cigarette pack. She lit her own cigarette and stared out into the night.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked from behind.

The blonde had not heard the door open or the brunette step out. She smiled to herself when she heard the familiar voice of the woman she'd been searching for the last half hour.

Lexa took a seat right beside her, inching closer to the blonde in an attempt to keep warm. Clarke offered her a cigarette which she quickly accepts.

"Why are you out here alone?" Lexa asked. "It's freezing."

"I was looking for you." Clarke admitted. "Then I gave up 'cause you were gone."

"I was upstairs fixing my make up" Lexa laughed.

"I'm glad I finally saw you."

"Are you having a good time?"

"I am now." Clarke admitted, making Lexa blush.

"How much punch have you had?" Lexa asked. She knows how strong Anya likes to make her punch and she could tell Clarke was already very drunk.

"This is my first one." Clarke says raising her cup. "But I took a couple shots before I came"

"Did you drive?"

"No we took a cab." Clarke promised.

"Good, I don't want anyone drinking and driving tonight." Lexa said sternly.

"Why don't you drink, Lexie?" Clarke asked.

"It's a long story." Lexa admitted as she nervously fidgets with her watch.

"We've got time."

"I don't really want to talk about it right now." Lexa said sternly. "Maybe another time."

The two sat in silence for a little bit before the sound of Clarke's teeth chattering interrupted their thoughts.

"Have you been told that you're really hot?" Clarke blurted out.

"Once or twice." Lexa smiled at her.

"Well you are and you need to know that."

"Thank you, Clarke, I'll keep that in mind."

"I want to go on a date with you." Clarke lets out. She couldn't stop the constant word vomit.

"Okay, drunky…" Lexa said as she stood up and stepped on her cigarette. "I think you've had way too much to drink."

"I'm serious." Clarke complained as she too stood up with Lexa's help.

The brunette had to use both her hands to steady the blonde as she stood.

"This is a topic we can discuss another day," Lexa said. "When you're sober and making good decisions."

"You are a good decision."

Lexa blushed. "Let's get back inside."

Lexa lead Clarke back inside and helped her locate the group of friends she had arrived with. She asked around for them but no one seemed to know who they are and if they were still around.

"Anya, have you seen the girls Clarke arrived with?" Lexa asked when she noticed her best friend sitting on her couch.

"One is upstairs with Brad." Anya replied with a smirk. "Lincoln left with the other one."

Clarke began to stumble away but Lexa grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back. "I'll take you home." She offered. "Your friends are a little preoccupied."

"No, I don't want to go." Clarke frowned.

Lexa wrapped an arm around Clarke's waist to hold her steady as they walked to her car. She hated dealing with drunks but this time was different, this time she wanted to protect the girl in her arms.

"Don't you dare thrown up in my car." She demanded as she put Clarke's seatbelt on her.

"I won't." the blonde promised.

Clarke was like a child. She was fascinated by the leather seats and smell of lavender-vanilla that consumed the entire car.

"Where do you live?" Lexa asked after she sat in the driver's seat and turned on the engine.

"New York." Clarke replied with a grin.

"Yes but where specifically?" Lexa tried again.

"I don't remember?"

Lexa didn't want to have a back and forth with the blonde so she made the executive decision of having her stay at her place instead. "You can stay at my place if you want."

"Okay, Lexa." Clarke says with a smile.

…

Clarke woke the next morning with a killer headache and absolutely no idea as to where she had ended up. Her mind tried to go back to the night before, and she wondered who she left the party with.

Slowly, she sat up and observed that she was still in her party dress and tights. Her jacket was sprawled at the foot of the bed. She turned her head and noticed a glass of water with an aspirin on the nightstand.

The smell of breakfast filled the room, making the blonde's stomach growl in return. "Where the fuck am I?" She muttered to herself.

After taking an aspiring and drinking her water, Clarke exited the mysterious room and followed the hallway out to what she assumed was a living room.

"Hello?" She asked into the emptiness.

"In here." She heard the familiar voice of her favorite brunette coming from nearby.

She walked over to the kitchen and found Lexa in a pair of pajamas standing in front of a stove, flipping pancakes.

"Where am I?" Clarke asked immediately.

Lexa couldn't help but smile to herself as she heard Clarke speak. Her voice sounded much lower in the morning and Lexa liked it.

"This is where I live." Lexa told her without turning from the stove.

Clarke's slightly taken back by the revelation. She had envisioned Lexa's home to be much larger and not as small as the current apartment they were in. The place wasn't extremely small, it was like an average sized apartment with two bedrooms.

"Sorry I just assumed you had a really big apartment."

"I like how cozy this place is." Lexa admitted.

"I don't know why I pegged you for a penthouse girl." Clarke told her with a laugh.

"I don't like to flash my money." Lexa finally turned and faced Clarke. "I come from a well-off family and I make a nice paycheck but I enjoy the little things."

Clarke liked that.

Lexa's eyes fix on the jacket and shoes in Clarke's hands and she can't help but pout. "Are you leaving?" She asked.

"I should probably go." The blonde replies, trying to avert her eyes. She couldn't remember anything from the night before and she was afraid she had done something she'd regret.

"No, stay." Lexa offered. "I'm making us breakfast."

"I feel like I'm already intruding enough."

"You're not," Lexa promised. "I offered for you to stay."

Clarke quickly gave in and Lexa turned back around to finish up the pancakes. The blonde wondered over to Lexa's living room area and began to look around.

"I can't remember anything from last night." She admitted as she walked.

"You were pretty drunk."

Clarke noticed that Lexa didn't have many pictures up in the room. There was one of her and Anya in front of the MWU sign in their caps and gowns. Then another one of a young Lexa with what Clarke assumed were her parents, as she's holding a little boy in her arms. Clarke estimated her to be about sixteen years old in the picture. Then there was a picture of a young boy that was on the side table next to a used copy of War and Peace.

"That's my little brother." Lexa told her when she noticed the blonde hovering over the picture. She had finished making breakfast and was in the process of setting the table.

"You have a brother?" Clarke asked

"His name is Aden."

"How old is he?"

"He's twelve." Lexa answered. Before Clarke could continue to ask more questions, Lexa spoke again. "Come have breakfast."

The two sat down at Lexa's table and began to eat the pancakes that the brunette had made. They were in silence for a bit, both too deep into thought to talk.

Clarke thinks about what she'd been meaning to ask Lexa. What she was dying to ask her when she saw her last night but missed the opportunity to because she was so drunk.

"Can I take you out?" She finally blurted out, breaking the silence.

"Like on a date?" Lexa asked, her mouth half full of pancakes.

"Yes, can I take you on a date?"

"You remember?"

"Remember what?"

"You asked me out last night."

"I did?" Clarke is surprised. She intended to ask her but she couldn't remember actually doing it.

"You called me hot and proceeded to ask me out." Lexa informed her.

"You know what they say," Clarke began with a small laugh. "The truth comes out when you're drunk."

"That's true."

"So…" Clarke bit her lip and looked into Lexa's green eyes. "About that date…"

"I don't know, Clarke." Lexa's voice trailed off.

"You're not attracted to me, I get it." Clarke frowned.

"That's not it at all. Clarke, you're extremely attractive," Lexa said with a blush. "But I haven't been with anyone since-"

"Costia." Clarke finished for her.

"I don't know if I'm ready." Lexa nearly whispered.

"I promise you there's no better feeling than finally moving on." Clarke offered her advice. "You can't hold yourself back forever, Lex."

"It's too soon." Lexa gave up.

Clarke was let down but she didn't want to make the brunette feel worse. "I respect you and if it's too soon then I will retract my offer." She said with a sad tone.

Lexa thanked the blonde and continued to eat in silence. She remained deep in thought even after completing her food.

Clarke wish she could read minds and know exactly what was going through the other woman's head.

"You're right." Lexa finally broke the silence after five minutes.

"About?" Clarke asked.

"Needing to move on." The brunette smiled. She had given it enough thought. "If the offer still stands, I'd like to go on a date."

Clarke tried her hardest not to look like an idiot as she smiled at the other woman. "What are you doing tomorrow then?"

"Considering we're on holiday vacation for the next couple of weeks, nothing." Lexa shrugged.

"Then I'd like to take you out tomorrow."

"Is there a dress code?" Lexa asked. It had been a while since she dated and she had forgotten how to do any of it.

"Absolutely not." Clarke shook her head. "Wear whatever you feel comfortable in."

"Can you give me a hint as to what we are doing?"

"Not your average dinner and a movie." Clarke promised.

 **My apologies if this chapter sucks. I wanted to get this out to you guys soon and try to include as much information as possible. Get ready for the date! Let me know what you thought of the chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7: The Waiting Game_

"What time is your girlfriend supposed to get here?" Raven asked as she sat down on the couch beside Clarke. She lounged back and put her feet up on the blonde's lap.

Clarke turned her attention away from the book she was reading and frowned at her best friend. "She's not my girlfriend," she insisted.

"Not yet." Raven pointed out with a smirk.

Clarke rolled her blue eyes and resumed reading where she left off prior to her best friend's interruption. "She's supposed to be here in half an hour," she finally answered without making eye contact.

"You seem awfully calm for someone who's about to go on a date."

As much as she didn't want to show it, the cool, calm, and not so collected Clarke Griffin was as nervous as a straight man in a gay club. She had been since the moment she left Lexa's apartment the day before.

It had been years since she'd gone on a proper date and the thought of going on one again freaked her out.

"It's just a date," she responds with a shrug of the shoulders, eyes still focused on her book.

"Don't pull that on me, Clarke," Raven rolled her eyes as she spoke. "I can see right through you."

Raven wasn't buying the blonde's unfazed attitude, not for a second. The two had been friends long enough for her to recognize all of Clarke's anxious quirks. She could tell the other girl was nervous by the way she licked her bottom lip and gnawed at the inside of her cheek.

Clarke could feel Raven's eyes were on her, psychoanalyzing her the same way Octavia always does. "Quit staring," she insisted.

"What are you reading?" Raven asked as she sat up and eyed the thick yellow book that was resting on Clarke's lap.

When the blonde didn't respond, Raven leaned forward and grabbed the book from her hands. "Business Studies for Dummies," she read the title out loud before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Stop," Clarke insisted as she yanked the book back and returned it to her lap. "It's not funny."

"Who are you and what has Lexa done to my best friend?" Raven said between laughs. She was eating all of this up.

"This has nothing to do with Lexa," Clarke defended, "I need to understand business more now that I have a job and I figured i'd read up on it during vacation."

"Are you sure she hasn't put out for you yet?" Raven asked. "Because you're so whipped!"

Clarke sighed and closed her book. She was starting to grow slightly irritated with her best friend's antics. "Don't you have anything better to do?" She asked.

"I was going to work out but now that I know Lexa is coming, it can wait."

"By all means, please, go work out!" Clarke insisted, motioning to the door as she spoke.

"No, I'd like to meet the girl that's got my best friend with a major case of the heart eyes."

"You could have already," Clarke said, "It's not my fault you were busy fucking Brad."

"I told you we didn't even get that far." Raven reminded her. "I was basically on my knees when he said he had a girlfriend. I'm no homewrecker."

The two had swapped stories the night before about the outcome of their night and both were surprised to find that neither would have to cough up cash. The bet was still very much on.

"They're all like that apparently." Clarke admitted, recalling the story of how another one of Lincoln's ex band members screwed Lexa's ex and ruined her previous relationship.

Clarke hated to think about that story, she hated the way it made her feel. Sure she had gone through her own similar situation, but the thought of two people hurting Lexa like that made her feel a strong anger inside.

"Do you think Lincoln is?" Raven asked, bringing Clarke back from her thoughts. "O definitely got laid. She basically texted a play-by-play."

"I don't really know," Clarke sighed. "I'll ask Lexa."

"Speaking of Lexa..." Raven began but was quickly interrupted by the blonde.

"We weren't." She insisted.

Raven had a way of turning every conversation into a discussion of whatever topic was in her interest.

"I shouldn't wait up for you, right?"

Clarke eyed her best friend who just smirked. "Wrong. It's our first date," The blonde said as she rolled her eyes.

"So? Who said you can't have sex on your first date?"

"I'm not just interested in getting into bed with her." Clarke defended.

"Just?" Raven asked with yet another conniving smirk. "So you _are_ interested."

Clarke knew there was no way to get her off her back than to just let her have what she's looking for. "Yes, okay, I want to sleep with her." She said with a loud sigh. She placed the book she was previously reading on the coffee table and turned to look at her best friend. "You happy?"

"But you also really like her."

"Yes," Clarke said. "Why else do you think I asked her out?"

"See, was that so hard?" Raven asked, content with herself for getting Clarke to admit her feelings.

It wasn't like she meant any harm in the way she would pester her roommate to open up, she just liked to get her riled up. Raven was smart, she could read Clarke like a book and she knew the blonde could say the same about her. But she also knew that Clarke was still suffering from the break up with Finn, whether she wanted to admit or not.

Raven could care less if Clarke got fed up with her for acting so irritable, just so long as she could see her friend be happy again. That's all she really wanted. Only two people had been there on the first few nights post-Finn when Clarke was a complete mess, and Raven had been one of them. She knew the other girl still suffered and she wanted this thing with Lexa, whatever it turns into, to be her opportunity to move on, because as much as Clarke claims she moved on almost immediately, both Raven and Octavia know that's not all true.

"You're a pain in the ass." Clarke muttered under her breath.

Before Raven could crack a joke, there was a soft knock at the door causing their puppy Leo to go into a barking frenzy as he beelined towards it.

"Shit, she's early!" Clarke said as she checked the time on her phone.

"I'll get it!" Raven leaped from the couch and followed Leo towards the door.

Clarke stood up from the couch, forgetting about her business book on the coffee table, and turned to face the door. She was grateful that she had chosen to change into her outfit earlier in the day.

"Hi, I'm Lexa," the brunette said as she stood face-to-face with Raven. "I'm here to see Clarke."

"Damn, you _are_ hot." Raven let slip loud enough for Clarke to hear from behind her. She opened the door all the way, revealing a blushing Lexa holding a bouquet of peach-colored roses.

The blonde could feel her cheeks turning a deep shade of red in response to her best friend's embarrassing comment. "That's my roommate, Raven," she informed Lexa as she stepped around the couch and walked over to the door.

"Oh, duh, hi! I'm Raven," she finally introduced herself as she extended her hand out towards the brunette.

Lexa switched the flowers to her right hand and used her left to firmly shake Raven's hand.

"Come in," Raven offered up.

As soon as Lexa stepped into the apartment, Leo ran a lap around her and jumped up with excitement. He sniffed her leg and continued to jump around her.

"That's weird," Clarke and Raven both said in unison as they observed.

Lexa bent down to pet the little puppy with her free hand. "What is?"

"He always barks at strangers." Clarke answered.

"He likes you." Raven added.

Lexa gave the puppy one last scratch on the head before standing back up and straightening herself out. She stepped closer towards Clarke and held out the bouquet of flowers. "These are for you," she offered with a smile.

"They're beautiful," Clarke smiled back, "Thank you."

The blonde extended her arms out for a hug, which Lexa immediately reciprocated. They hugged silently while Raven watched and before they separated, Clarke placed a small kiss on her cheek.

"Will you put these in a vase for me while i'm out?" Clarke asked Raven.

"Yeah, okay." Raven replied almost immediately.

Clarke turned her attention back to Lexa who was still slightly blushing from the kiss on the cheek. "I need to put some shoes on and fix up my hair a little," she informed her.

"You don't need to," Lexa offered with a small smile."You look good like that."

"I'll be quick," Clarke promised. "You two talk!"

As soon as Clarke left the room, Raven offered Lexa a seat on the couch so she'd be more comfortable. They sat in silence while they waited for Clarke to finish getting ready.

"Take care of her," Raven spoke after a few minutes of stillness.

"I will." Lexa replied awkwardly.

Her eyes wandered around the room and stopped when they noticed a yellow book that lay on the coffee table. She could guess exactly who it belonged to. "Is she reading this?" Lexa asked, pointing at the book.

"She was before you came," Raven admitted with a laugh.

"That's-" Lexa began but was interrupted by Clarke's voice calling from the hallway.

"Okay, I'm ready!" She chimed as she reappeared with a small basket in one hand and a handbag in the other. She'd taken Lexa's advice and left her hair the way she had it before, down with a few strands tied back.

Lexa eyed the basket in the blonde's hands but didn't ask questions until the two were finally out of Raven's presence.

"What's in the basket?" She finally asked when the two had exited the apartment building and made their way towards the undisclosed location. The brunette had no idea where they were going nor what they were doing and the curiosity was starting to get the best of her.

"You'll see," Clarke said softly with a smile.

Lexa nodded and continued to walk beside her. "Before I forget, there's something else I wanted to give you." She informed her before pulling out a small box from her coat pocket.

Clarke's ocean blue eyes grow wide as she notices the gift. "You got me a present?" She asked in surprise.

"I always get my employees a present," Lexa admitted, "I didn't get to give you yours."

"Oh right."

Lexa offered to take the basket from Clarke and hold it while she opened the present.

The blonde removed the wrapping paper and opened the small box. Inside she found a sterling silver necklace with a vinyl record charm. "Holy shit," She exclaimed. "It's beautiful."

"I picked it out." Lexa admits.

Clarke was in complete aw of the gift and she couldn't help but wonder if the other gifts Lexa gave to her co-workers were as beautiful and thoughtful as this one. "I love it. Thank you, Lex." She said with a big smile.

"You're welcome."

"Now I feel bad." Clarke admitted as she placed the box and the torn up wrapping paper in her handbag. "I didn't get you anything."

"I didn't expect to get anything in return," Lexa replied. "Please don't feel bad."

"I'll get you something soon." Clarke promised.

"You planned this date," Lexa pointed out. "That's your present."

Clarke let the brunette believe that she wasn't going to give her a present back. There was still a week left until Christmas and while they had no plans of spending it together, she'd still have plenty of time to find something to give to the other girl.

The two continued to walk in silence as they approached the nearest subway station. During their walk, Lexa kept her hands in her coat pockets, trying to stay warm. Clarke, on the other hand, held a basket in one hand and let the hand closest to Lexa dangle free in hopes that the other girl would to take it. She respected Lexa and wanted to let her make the moves. _We're at her pace_ , she thinks.

As they neared the station, Clarke recalled one of the questions she'd been meaning to ask the brunette. "I have something I want to ask you." She said.

"Go for it."

"Is Lincoln single?"

Lexa was slightly caught off guard. Of all the questions she had imagined Clarke would ask, this wasn't one of them. "Are you on a date with the wrong person?" She asked, slightly offended.

"No, I'm asking for a friend"

"Sure," Lexa said with a slight hesitation, "I've heard that one before."

"No I'm serious my friend Octavia and him slept together last night"

"The hot brunette that was at the party?" Lexa asked jokingly.

"She's straight," Clarke quickly informed her.

Lexa laughed, sensing the blonde's jealousy. "Clarke, I'm kidding."

"I just want to make sure Octavia doesn't get involved with someone who isn't available."

"Lincoln hasn't been with anyone since college," Lexa admitted, "at least not that I know of."

Clarke quickly dropped the subject, satisfied to have gotten her answer.

They arrived at the subway station just in time to purchase two tickets for the next train to Brooklyn. Clarke noticed Lexa reach for her wallet but she shook her head and placed her hand on Lexa's to stop her. "It's on me." She insisted and the brunette accepted without a fight.

"We're going back to Brooklyn?" Lexa asked when they boarded the subway.

"There's a place I went to when I was a senior at Mount Weather where I want to take you."

Lexa smiled at the thought that Clarke wanted to share a part of her past with her. "We're not going back to school are we?"

"Of course not!" Clarke said. "It's not even close to it."

The trip from Manhattan to Brooklyn was a solid twenty-minute ride. The two fell into quick conversation about their days which somehow turned into them getting to know more about each other.

Clarke learned that Lexa's middle name is Marie and that she hates it with every fiber of her being. She discovered that her favorite color is red and that she has an unhealthy obsession with candles.

"I don't like to spend my money," Lexa admitted. "Unless Bath and Body Works has a sale on candles."

Clarke laughed to herself at the woman's revelation. The two were already comfortable with each other yet these little revelations brought them closer.

At one point when the ride got slightly bumpy, Lexa wrapped her arm around Clarke to keep her from falling.

...

"Where are we?" Lexa asked in confusion when the two were standing in front of an old beat up building in the middle of Brooklyn.

"It's this place called Paint with a Twist." Clarke informed her. "They do these cool art classes but with a twist."

"What's the twist?"

"You bring your own alcohol and food," Clarke began. "But since I know you don't drink I brought us orange juice and lemonade."

Lexa smiled at the blonde, appreciating the fact that she remembered. "Clarke, I suck at art." She admitted as they walked in.

"It's a pretty easy class," Clarke promised, "And if you need guidance i'm a pretty good instructor too." She smirked.

After collecting two canvases, the two set up their little work station towards the back of the room where they'd have a bit of privacy. Clarke set her canvas up right next to Lexa's so they'd be as close to each other as possible.

"I think we're drawing the New York City skyline." Clarke whispered close to Lexa's ear when the class began.

Halfway into the class, Clarke went rogue with her painting and added the Grounder Records building into her image.

Lexa leaned over a little to see the blonde's work and laughed when she noticed the change. "That's not where it is." She told her.

"Just pretend it is," Clarke said with a laugh. She turned to look at Lexa's drawing and was surprised to find it almost finished.

Lexa tried very hard to draw the skyline as best as possible. She had always been a perfectionist in that way.

"You're really good at this." Clarke said as she continued to look over at Lexa's painting. "I was hoping you'd be bad so I could help you."

"You still can." Lexa said with a smirk.

Clarke took the invitation almost immediately and stood closer to Lexa. "You want to make sure your strokes are lighter." Clarke said as she look Lexa's hand in hers and demonstrated how to do it.

"Now you're just showing off." Lexa laughed.

Clarke pulled her hand away and the brunette frowned at the missing contact. "You can put this up in your tiny apartment when you're done." She joked.

"Hey!" Lexa turned, feigning anger. "Don't make fun of my place. It's cozy."

"I'm kidding," Clarke admitted. "You have a very nice apartment." _And I want to spend more time there_ , Clarke thought.

"Would you like to come over after this?" Lexa asked. Clarke instantly felt as though her thoughts had been exposed to the world. Had she voiced them aloud?

"I'm not that kind of girl." Clarke said with a various obvious hint of sarcasm.

"I-i didn't mean it like that," Lexa quickly defended, stuttering between words.

"I'm kidding, Lex." Clarke reassured her.

"I just figured we could get to know each other better."

"I'd like that."

The rest of the time flew by. Both girls too focused on finishing their painting and getting back to the city. The 30 minute ride back was a little harder now that they had their canvases with them.

...

"Welcome back." Lexa said as she stepped into her apartment and held the door open for Clarke who followed.

"Why does everything that you own smell so good?" Clarke asked as she was hit with another whiff of the lavender-vanilla smell.

"I like to smell good." Lexa admitted. "Can I take your coat?"

"Please." Clarke said before removing it and handing it to the other woman.

"Make yourself comfortable."

Lexa disappeared into the hallway and walked towards her bedroom. When she returned she noticed Clarke hovering over the same family picture she had been observing no more than 24 hours ago. She wondered how long it would take the blonde to ask her about her family, but she liked that she wasn't so quick to pry into her personal life. There were a lot of things that Clarke still had to learn about Lexa and vise versa.

"You look so much like your mom and dad," Clarke voiced her thought when she noticed Lexa return.

"Thank you," The brunette replied shyly. She walked over towards the blonde and handed her a DVD binder. "Here, pick out a movie." She suggested.

"You can't give me this power," Clarke said as she opened up the binder and began to flip through the pages of DVDs. "I'm the worst at making these kinds of decisions."

Lexa sat down at the edge of her couch and patted the spot next to her for Clarke to take. The blonde instantly walked over and took a seat next to her, their legs touching as if there wasn't an a half empty side next to them. "I've seen every single one of those at least twice so the choice is yours."

Clarke reached in and pulled out a random movie she hadn't heard of before. "Let's go with this one," She said as handed the DVD over to Lexa.

"Pirate Radio?" Lexa asked. "You ever seen it?"

"Nope, never." Clarke admitted. "But it looks and sounds cool."

Lexa walked over to the front of the living room and placed the disc inside the DVD player. "This is one of my favorite movies!" She said with a smile.

Before returning to the couch, Lexa turned off all the lights in the room and lit a few of the candles that were on the coffee table in front of the couch. She took a seat next to Clarke who was tough as a rock, nervous to make any moves.

"Everything okay?" Lexa asked, noticing how tense Clarke had gotten.

"Yeah, fine." She said with a shaky voice. Clarke didn't want to admit that she was slightly turned on and the current mood lighting wasn't making it easier.

After the movie began, Lexa waited for Clarke to make a move. She waited for the blonde to initiate something, _anything_ , but fifteen minutes into the film and they were still sitting side-by-side waiting on the other to do something.

Five minutes later, at the first sign of a sex scene, Clarke turned to look at Lexa and the brunette focused her attention back at her. Her green eyes fell from Clarke's blue eyes to her rosy lips as the blonde's gaze followed a similar path on her own.

"Can I-" Clarke began to say but was interrupted by Lexa's lips on hers. The kiss was gentle and it lasted long enough for Clarke to kiss back.

Somewhere between kisses and staring into each other's eyes, Clarke had mounted Lexa. The blonde was giddy and Lexa was nervous. Soon Clarke could tell that the other girl was having a hard time.

"We should stop." She said as she pulled her lips away from Lexa's.

"Why? what's wrong?" Lexa asked.

"I'm getting a feeling that you're not into it."

"I am." Lexa promised. "It's just-"

"Relax, Lex." Clarke interjected. "We can stop if it's too much."

But Lexa didn't speak again. She brought her lips onto the blonde's and kissed her hard, harder than before. If she was going to move on from Costia she was going to have to let herself.

She could get used to nights like this, she thought. The two of them on her couch, Clarke's legs wrapped around her waist, a fist of her blonde hair in the brunette's hands. She already craved more of it. But she had to pull herself together before it all moved too fast.

Lexa had never been the "sex on the first date" kind of girl. For her, sex was a bonding experience between herself and the other person. She wanted the girl but she didn't want to ruin whatever was budding.

It was in the middle of that heated kiss that Lexa heard a quiet moan escape from the blonde. At first she thought she was imagining things but then it came again. And then again.

"Clarke," she said as she pulled back. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" Clarke asked. Her eyes were full of desire and Lexa knew she would need to contain herself.

"I'm not ready." She said shyly.

"To be with anyone?" Clarke asked. The conversation from the day before echoing in her mind.

"No," Lexa said. "To be _with_ someone."

"Do you think that's what I'm trying to do?" Clarke asked, worried that her intentions might come off as bad ones.

"No, I just don't want us to get carried away."

"Lex, it's our first date that wasn't my intention."

"I know," Lexa smiled. "You're not that kind of girl."

"Let's watch this movie." Clarke offered. She removed herself from Lexa's lap and sat closer to her, resting her head on her shoulder.

They watched the rest of the movie in silence with occasional laughter coming from each.

Clarke could feel her eyes slowly dropping when she finally hears Lexa's voice. "Thank you." She whispered to her.

"For?" Clarke asked.

"Being respectful." Lexa said as she brought her hand up to touch Clarke's cheek. "I just need time."

 **I apologize for the late update, been kind of busy but still writing in the midst of everything. Definitely finished this chapter during the new episode, oh well.** **Glad many of you are enjoying this story.** **Out of curiosity, would you rather see a few more dates here and there or just straight into a month of dating? Big things planned with an important reveal coming soon. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8: Just Can't Get Enough_

The next morning, Clarke woke to the smell of sausage and bacon filling her room. She debated falling back asleep and getting a few more hours of rest, but that was next to impossible. Once the blonde woke, it was hard to get her back to sleep.

Instead she laid there, in the silence of her room, thinking about the events of the night before. She had enjoyed every second of her date with Lexa and now she was desperate to repeat it as soon as possible.

Her mind wandered, remembering the feel of the brunette's soft lips on hers. She could paint a picture of the look on Lexa's face when they first pulled apart from their kiss - the way her face had softened while her beautiful green eyes stared into blue ones. She could not deny that Lexa was a stunning, hot woman.

Clarke was captivated not just by her physical beauty but by the way the other girl carried herself. Lexa was deeply invested in and enamored by her job, that much Clarke knew. And yet, there was something attractive about how quickly she could slip from professional to personal in a matter of seconds.

There was still a mystery to the girl that Clarke wanted to know more of, a mystery that kept drawing her in.

Clarke's thoughts about Lexa were interrupted abruptly by the sounds of Britney Spears' _Oops... I Did It Again_ coming from her living room.

"Turn it off," she yelled as loud as possible so Raven could hear.

As expected, the music volume grew louder and Clarke stifled a scream as she covered her face with her pillow.

"Turn that damn music off!" She nearly yelled as she made her way into the kitchen. It was irritating having to wake up to loud music, but worse when she had to physically get up to get it turned down.

"Ah, the bear is awake." Raven joked as she spotted her roommate standing by the threshold of the kitchen.

"I'm not kidding, turn that off." Clarke growled.

"Good morning to you too," Octavia said from behind.

Clarke wasn't surprised to find her best friend still hanging in her apartment. While she and Lexa went on their date the night before, Raven and Octavia hung out in the apartment and had their own movie night.

Octavia walked over to the iPod stereo and shut off the music as Clarke requested. "Happy princess?" she asked.

The blonde rolled her eyes as she turned to make her way back to her room. She loved both girls to death but sometimes they were too much for her to handle, specially in the morning.

"Where are you going?" Raven asked when she noticed Clarke trying to leave.

"Back to my room," Clarke half-yelled.

"No, come back. We made biscuits and egg with bacon and sausage." Raven yelled.

At the mention of bacon, Clarke stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Okay," she gave in. "But just know i'm only staying for the bacon."

Clarke walked over to the small dining table and waited to be served. She knew the girls were being extra sweet today because they were dying to know what might have (or might not have) happened the night before.

Raven held up the coffee pot and motioned towards Clarke. "Would you like some coffee?"

"I'm going to need it." Clarke answered with a laugh.

When all the breakfast was finally served, Octavia and Raven joined their best friend at the table.

"Wait a second," Raven said to Clarke as she sat down. She squinted her eyes as she looked closer at the new addition that hung around Clarke's neck. "That wasn't there yesterday, was it?"

"No, Lexa gave it to me," Clarke admitted. "It's my employee present."

"Does she give all her employees expensive necklaces?"

"I don't know what she gave everyone else," Clarke shrugged.

"So did I officially lose the bet?" Raven asked.

Clarke chewed on her bacon and smiled smugly, "Wouldn't you like to know." She said between bites.

"Oh come on," Octavia sighed. "Spill!'

That she did. Clarke couldn't keep the details of the date to herself for long and she knew it. So she told them everything they wanted to hear. She told them about how much fun they had on their date and how Lexa had been the one to invite her over after it.

"And yet you still didn't have sex." Raven shook her head in disbelief.

"Will you please let that go?" Clarke begged. "I told you I respect her wishes and if she's not ready, she's not ready."

It was like Raven didn't get why she was so adamant about respecting Lexa's space, but then again she only knew part of the story.

Octavia took a sip from her coffee and stared at Clarke. She was doing the analyzing thing again and Clarke was trying very hard not to acknowledge it. "You're going to fall in love with her," she said, sounding nonchalant. "I can feel it."

"Maybe I should go finish this breakfast in my room," Clarke sighed. "You guys are hurting my head."

"Come on Clarkey," Raven extended her hand out to grab the blonde by the shoulder. "We do this out of love."

"You know what you should do instead?" Octavia asked, still pretty deep in analysis mode.

Clarke, too nervous to hear what her best friend might suggest, didn't answer.

"You need to call Lexa." Octavia suggested.

"What? Why?"

"Tell her that you had fun last night." Octavia began.

Raven, catching the other girl's drift, chimed in, "And that you want to do it again."

"I have to wait until she contacts me." Clarke suggested.

"No you don't."

Raven rolled her eyes at how ridiculous her best friend sounded. "The rules of the straight world don't apply here, Clarke. You don't have to sit around the phone and wait for her to call you."

"This is ridiculous," Clarke sighed, but she was already convinced.

"You're not leaving this room until you call Lexa." Raven demanded.

"Why do you two do this to me?" Clarke sighed as she grabbed her phone from the table and looked up the brunette.

Clarke's finger hovered over the ten digit number before she finally made the call.

"Hello?" Lexa said, her voice sounding shaky.

"Hey Lex, everything okay?" Clarke asked. "You sound out of breath."

"I'm working out." Lexa replied. "What's up?"

An image of a toned Lexa in a sports bra appears in Clarke's head and she can't help but gulp in reaction. "I can call back if you're busy." She managed to say.

"No," the brunette replied. "I'm actually glad you called."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was going to call you when I finished."

"You were?"

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Me too."

"You go first."

"No, you go."

"You called, Clarke."

"Oh, well, I-i" she stuttered, "I just wanted to see if you had a good time yesterday."

Raven and Octavia hold in a laugh as they watch Clarke trying to speak on the phone.

There's a silence on the other end of the line and Clarke instantly worries that the call might have dropped. Lexa lets out a deep breath as though she had been in the middle of an exercise. "I had a really good time with you, Clarke." she admitted.

"Why do I feel like there's a but coming?"

"There's not," Lexa promised, her voice sounding honest.

"Well, i'd like to do it again."

Lexa laughed, "Good 'cause so do I. See the reason I was going to call was to invite you out tonight."

"Like on a date?"

"Yes. I have a plus one for the James Bay concert and I'd like for you to be my date."

"I'd love to!"

"I can pick you up at six, does that work?"

"Perfect."

"See you then."

Clarke hadn't even ended the call before Raven and Octavia were interrogating her again.

...

At exactly 5:45 PM, Clarke got a text from Lexa saying she was in her car. The brunette had a way of always arriving early, while the blonde seemed to rush to finish.

She left a half-eaten apple on the kitchen counter and ran out to meet her date.

When she found Lexa, she was sitting in the driver's seat looking at her phone and nodding her head to whatever song was playing on the radio. Clarke was amazed at the way the other girl could always look like the cover girl for a Nylon magazine. Between the leather jacket, the loose hair, and the car, Lexa looked like an edgy-rocker princess. Clarke thought it was hot.

"Hi, Lexa." Clarke said eagerly as she got into the passenger seat of the brunette's car. She leaned over the center console and gave her a small peck on the cheek. It was daring, but the smile and slight blush on Lexa's face showed her it was worth it.

"I'm glad we're doing this," The blonde admitted as they took off.

"Me too," Lexa replied, eyes focused on the road.

Lexa drove with one hand on the steering wheel as her other arm rested on the center console. Clarke looked down at the free hand and debated stretching her own out to hold it. She didn't want to make Lexa uncomfortable so she chose not to take her hand.

"I didn't get to say this yesterday," Lexa began, "but last night was the best date i've ever been on."

"It was for me too."

"I like spending time with you, Clarke."

"You're not too bad yourself, Lex."

They fell into a comfortable silence as Lexa continued to drive.

When they arrived at the venue, the brunette handed off her keys to a valet guy.

Lexa extended a hand out and Clarke instantly took it. She then led the blonde over to the closest box office.

"Hi," Lexa said with a small smile. "I have two tickets under Alexandria Woods."

"Good to see you again, Miss Woods." The young employee said with a grin in return. Clarke could tell the guy was familiar with Lexa and by the way his eyes lite up when he saw her, he was attracted to her.

"You as well," she replied kindly.

He pulled out a white envelope from a box and handed it to Lexa. "Enjoy the show," he said.

"Thank you," she replied. Lexa turned to face Clarke and handed her the second ticket.

"You must come here often." Clarke said, noticing the way she was recognized by many.

"I get a lot of free tickets to shows," the brunette shrugged, "sometimes I come."

The two walked side-by-side, shoulders nearly touching as they made their way into the lobby of the venue. The theater appeared newly renovated, a definite upgrade from the venue where they celebrated the Polaris album release.

"Our seats are upstairs in the balcony," Lexa suggested as she read her ticket. "Do you want to get a drink or anything before we go up?"

"Do you mind?"

The brunette shook her head. "Get whatever you want, i'm paying."

Clarke reclaimed Lexa's hand as they approached a friendly bartender who was more than eager to get the two beautiful women a drink. She ordered a beer for herself and a water bottle for Lexa.

"My card is on file," Lexa said as she handed the bartender her ID.

"Would you like to keep the tab open?"

The brunette nodded, taking back the ID and slipping it into her wallet. "Yes, and if my date here comes and gets anything just charge it to the card on file."

"You got it!"

Hand in hand, the two walked towards the staircase and made their way up to the balcony. Since the show was not set to begin for another twenty minutes, Lexa suggested they step out into the outdoor deck for a quick cigarette break.

"I want to get to know you more," Clarke voiced a thought that had been haunting her brain.

"What do you want to know? Lexa asked.

"I don't know," Clarke shrugged. She was always pretty lousy at the initial part of dating. For her, it was so awkward to break the barrier between wanting to learn things about the person and coming off too invested. "Everything I guess."

"There's a lot about me you still don't know."

"So fill me in."

"Up until I was a senior in high school, I wanted to be a lawyer." Lexa admitted.

"I wanted to be a Doctor."

"Your mom did," Lexa corrected, recalling the story Clarke told her during her interview.

"You're right," Clarke laughed, "my mom wanted me to be a doctor, I wanted to be an artist."

"And now you are."

"Do you have any other siblings besides your little brother?" The blonde asked.

She imagined Lexa growing up in a small family of maybe two or three kids, but the pictures in her apartment suggest only two.

"It's just Aden and I," Lexa answered. "You got any siblings?"

Clarke shook her head and laughed, "I was more than enough trouble for my parents."

Lexa smiled at the blonde, imagining just what the other girl might have been like in her youth. "I bet you weren't that bad."

"So where's home," Clarke asked, curious to know where Lexa's family is from. "Besides Manhattan."

"Manhattan is home."

"Is your family here too?"

"It's just me here," Lexa replied. "My baby brother is in North Carolina."

The blonde could sense that the conversation about her family made Lexa very tense so she changed the subject. "Cats or dogs?" She asked.

"I'm allergic to cats. I'm a dog person but I don't have time to care for one."

Clarke nodded, then proceeded to ask another question. "Blondes or brunettes?"

The question caught Lexa off guard but she laughed nonetheless. "My college girlfriend was a brunette and so was Costia but to be honest i'm a sucker for a hot blonde." She said with a devilish grin.

They continued these questions for while until Lexa suggested they go inside before they missed the opening act.

The brunette led the way to their seats, her hand holding on tight to Clarke's during their trek.

The opener was a guy about Clarke's age who went by the name of Jack Garratt. He reminded her of an indie pop version of Ed Sheeran, and much to her surprise, he was just as British. He sang a couple songs off of an EP he released a year before, then promised to meet every single one of the audience members by his merch booth.

"I wish I would have signed him when I had the chance." Lexa sighed. She threw her head back in disbelief only to hit it against Clarke's arm. She had been too caught up in the performance to notice Clarke's smooth stretch move to bring her arm around her.

"Sorry," Clarke said, her cheeks giving off a slight blush. "I can move it."

"No keep it there." Lexa demanded sweetly.

The wait between sets would be around twenty-minutes and both girls were content in their current positions. Lexa had leaned her head on Clarke's shoulder, while the blonde lightly trailed her fingers up and down Lexa's arm. She wished the leather jacket wasn't a barrier between her finger's and Lexa's skin, but she felt too intrusive asking the other girl to take it off.

"Do you want another beer?" Lexa asked, noticing that the blonde had already finished the first one.

"No," Clarke shook her head. "I'd feel bad drinking too much when I know you don't drink."

"As long as you're not driving it's okay with me." the brunette admitted.

"Lex?"

"Yeah?"

Clarke suddenly stopped running her hand on Lexa's arm. "Why don't you drink?" She asked, but she could feel the brunette flinch at the question.

Lexa pulled back from Clarke's arms and turned to look into her blue eyes. She figured the question was coming eventually and yet this wasn't the setting she wanted for the full conversation.

She thought about the best way to answer her question without diving too deep into her issues. "Drinking makes people do stupid shit and then people lose their lives." She said.

"Fair enough." Clarke replied.

For the second time in one night, the blonde had seemingly struck a chord with Lexa and she hoped it didn't make the other girl irritated. She was curious, she wanted to learn more and more about the things that hurt her and plague her mind. But Clarke had to be patient.

The conversation was soon forgotten when James Bay took the stage and their attention went back to the concert.

...

Once they were back in the car, the two came to a sudden realization that they didn't want to leave each other just yet.

"Do you want to come over?" Lexa asked. She could tell that the night wasn't over, or at least she hoped it wasn't.

"Yeah," Clarke smiled. "I'd like that."

Lexa let the radio fill their silence as she drove. She had left her hand on the center console for Clarke to take and this time, the blonde did.

 **Just a little fluffy filler for you guys. Let me know what you think. Are you guys ready to know more about Lexa's family?**


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N:_ There is a lot happening in this chapter mostly because I wanted to give you fluff but also set up some stuff for chapter 10 so enjoy :) **

_Chapter 9: New Deal_

On the eve of a new year, Clarke and Raven decided to throw a last-minute party to celebrate with their closest friends. Some of their college buddies like Murphy and Miller came up for the occasion, even a few of their hometown friends like Monty, Jasper, and Harper made the trip too. Octavia brought her new beau Lincoln and he had, inevitably, brought his bandmate Brad.

Clarke was happy with the turnout but devastated that Lexa couldn't make it. Lexa was, to Clarke's knowledge, stuck in North Carolina for the rest of the week. She had left two days before Christmas to spend the holidays with her younger brother, Aden, and wouldn't be back until after New Year's Day. Clarke had spent her Christmas with Raven and Octavia since her mother had to work a double at the hospital. She didn't complain though, she spent most of her time texting Lexa, a habit which the two couldn't kick since she had left.

The party had started in typical Reyes-Griffin fashion, with everyone taking shots followed by a few rounds of drinking games. The group had moved on from the longest game of drunk Jenga to the party favorite, King's Cup. This was Clarke's least favorite game of all, mostly because it led to Raven spilling all of the blonde's dirty little secrets.

The entire group was huddled around the drinking table, most already too plastered to really be playing. Clarke was at a solid drunk level, not too much but likely to be wasted if she was forced to take anymore drinks.

"Okay, Clarke, you're next," Bellamy chimed from the other side of the table as he took a sip of his almost-empty beer.

Clarke stared down at the deck of cards sprawled out in the center of the table, debating which one to pick up. Her hand hovered over the pile for a few seconds before grabbing the outermost one. "Fuck," she grumbled after flipping it over. "It's a five."

"Never have I ever!" Raven exclaimed as she raised her drink. This was her favorite card to draw during a game of King's Cup, because she could easily target Clarke and Octavia.

Clarke thought hard about what to say before settling with her usual, "Never have I ever been caught masturbating."

"You suck at this game," Raven said, eyeing Clarke. She took a drink and put down one of her fingers. "I'm coming after you, sky princess."

King's Cup at the Reyes-Griffin residence always had a bad habit of turning into a showdown between roommates. In college, the two would go head to head during the 'Never Have I Ever' round, revealing each other's secrets and later waking to find that everyone suddenly knew too much about them.

"My turn," Octavia said, ready to break up any potential "fight" that might break out. She thought about her answer carefully, not wanting to say anything too explicit that her brother might give her shit for. "Never have I ever slept with a straight girl." She said.

"Are you serious?" Clarke sighed. She took a sip of her drink and put down one of the three fingers she had been holding up.

"I'm next! Never have I ever dated my boss," Raven said proudly. She looked at Clarke who was the only one taking a drink. The blonde was suddenly down to one finger.

"You know Lexa is super into girls if you ever wanted to date another boss," Lincoln said, causing everyone but Clarke to laugh.

"He doesn't know!" Raven yelled in surprise.

"Ray," Octavia said before hitting her best friend in the shoulder and giving her a grimacing look.

"He doesn't know, does he?" Raven asked.

"I don't know what?" Lincoln asked, confused as to what was happening.

"That Clarke and Lexa are-" Raven began to say.

"We're dating." Clarke interrupted.

"Wait a minute," Lincoln said. "You and Lexa? Since when?"

"A couple of weeks ago."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"We haven't really made anything official we've just been... seeing each other."

Lincoln was in complete shock over the revelation. Brad, on the other hand, just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "I saw that coming."

Everyone in the group laughed except Clarke, who was worried her admission would make Lexa mad.

"Alright," Bellamy said, "let's move on. O, it's your turn."

A sudden knock at the door caused everyone in the room to go quiet. Clarke, being completely over the game, left the table to answer it while everyone returned to playing.

The blonde's eyes grew large with surprise as opened the door. "Hey you," she said.

"Hi," Lexa said gently, a small smile breaking through.

Clarke stepped forward almost immediately, letting the door close behind her. She threw her arms around the brunette's neck, hugging her tightly. While the action spoke for itself, she didn't want to voice how much she'd missed the other girl.

Lexa was thrown off by the hug, noticing that Clarke was pretty drunk. She hugged back, content to have the warmth of the blonde on her.

But it didn't last, Clarke pulled back after a minute or so and pressed her lips onto Lexa's. It was a sloppy peck but the brunette accepted it anyway.

"I thought you were still in North Carolina," Clarke said.

"I flew back this morning," Lexa admitted. "I wanted to surprise you."

Clarke felt her heart flutter at Lexa's admission. The brunette had not only led her to believe that she was not coming, but she had played it as though she was still in North Carolina. "What about your brother?" she asked.

"He had to return to school," Lexa said with a sad look on her face.

"School? It's New Year's Eve!"

"He's at a boarding school," The brunette admitted. "They only get Christmas off."

"Clarkey, who is it?" Raved asked as she pulled open the door only to find her roommate standing inches from Lexa.

They were still close, Clarke resting her hands on Lexa's shoulder seeking support while Lexa's hands cupped the blonde's hips, holding her steady. At Raven's interruption, the two pulled apart.

"Lexa's here!" Clarke said with a grin. "She came."

"I see that, idiot." Raven said sternly.

She stepped back and held the door open for the two girls as Clarke took Lexa's hand and led her inside.

The brunette was reserved as she entered the apartment to find only a few familiar faces. When her eyes met Lincoln's, she knew something was about to be said.

"Does Anya know?" He asked when they neared. His eyes trailed down to their entangled hands.

"She knows," Lexa admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

Clarke could see that Lincoln, albeit her employee, was actually hurt by the fact that Lexa hadn't mentioned anything. The two were, as she had previously noted, pretty close friends.

"Maybe we can talk about this later." Lexa suggested and Lincoln nodded.

"Guys," Clarke slurred, turning to the friends who had yet to meet the brunette. The last few drinks were starting to take effect and it was evident in her speech. "This is Lexa, my-" she began to say but then stopped. Her drunk brain searched for the proper term. "She's my Lexa."

The brunette laughed and blushed in response, "I'm Lexa," she repeated as she waved. "Nice to meet you all."

"Clarke," Bellamy spoke, "We're still not done." He said as he pointed down to the table full of cards.

"It's Jasper's turn, I think." Octavia added.

Lexa stood behind Clarke and watched as the group continued to play on with their game. It had been years since the last time she played this game but from what she could tell, Clarke was losing. Out of everyone in the group, she was the only one with one finger left.

"Never have I ever vomited in Monty's car." Jasper said.

"It was one time!" Raven nearly screamed. She took a long sip of her drink and joined Clarke in the 'one finger' club.

"Harper, end this game, please." Octavia begged.

"Okay," she said with a devilish grin. "Never have I ever lost my virginity in my mom's car."

"Clarke," Raven yelled with excitement. "Drink up, bitch!"

Clarke turned tomato red as she sipped on the last of her beer. She avoided looking at Lexa at all costs, afraid she might say something about it.

"Okay game's over," Clarke said as she put down her beer.

"We still have all these cards left," Bellamy pointed out. "We're not done."

"Well i'm done," Clarke admitted. She couldn't bear playing anymore of this game with Lexa present. Her friends had too much knowledge over her.

She turned to Lexa who was holding in a laugh, "Mom's car, huh?" she said.

"I was seventeen," Clarke sighed. "Give me a break."

"If it's any consolation, I lost it in my school's locker room." Lexa admitted.

"Surprisingly, that makes me feel a lot better." Clarke laughed. "Hey, you're still wearing your coat!" She pointed out. "Leave it in my room."

The blonde led Lexa down the hallway towards the last room. After dropping off her stuff on the chair by the door, Lexa began to look around the room. It's a small room, she noted, but very artsy. There's art hanging all around the room, and in the far right corner, there's a desk full of sketchbooks and painting materials. Tucked to the side of the desk, was a medium-sized easel.

The brunette was eager to and interested in seeing Clarke's work. Lexa eyed the top sketchbook first, the same one she saw the day Clarke ran into her at the coffee shop.

Clarke watched from the doorway as Lexa approached her workstation and reached for the sketchbook. She had spent so much of her Christmas drawing her in various settings. The book was full of Lexa and only Lexa.

The brunette turned to look at Clarke as her fingers danced on the leather cover. "May I? she asked.

"I-uh" Clarke stumbled, not from being drunk but from nerves. "Yeah."

Lexa grabbed the sketchbook and walked over towards Clarke's bed. She sat down with one foot on the bed and the other dangling from the side.

"Okay, before you open it I have to say something." Clarke said.

Lexa looked up at her with a questioning expression, "Shit," she said, "your sketchbooks are private aren't they. I don't have to look through."

Clarke sat directly across from Lexa and smiled, "They are but you can." She said.

"No, I'm intruding." Lexa stood back up to return the book but was stopped by Clarke's hand wrapping around her wrist and giving a light pull.

"I want you to see it," Clarke said honestly. "I just don't want you to freak out."

"Freak out?"

"I draw you _a lot_." She admitted, emphasizing the last words.

"That doesn't freak me out," Lexa said.

"It's nice to know you think of me."

"I do," Clarke admitted. "A lot."

"Me too," Lexa replied, barely loud enough for Clarke to hear.

Lexa opened the sketchbook to the first drawing she had seen at the coffee shop. The finished product looked nothing like the initial, it was still so beautiful. There were six or seven more drawings after that, all from different occasions.

"You draw this from memory?" she asked, noticing the dates on the corner all correlated to the days she was in North Carolina.

Clarke nodded, "You have a very memorable face, Lex."

"I've never gotten that before," she laughed.

"That reminds me," Clarke eagerly spoke. She stood up, although slightly dizzy, and walked over to her closet. "I got you something." she said and pulled out a small bag.

"I told you not to get me anything." Lexa frowned.

Clarke handed her the bag followed by a kiss on the cheek. "Merry Christmas, Lexa." she smiled.

Lexa removes the white tissue paper from inside and pulls out the gift. "I love it," she said with a giant smile. Clarke could tell it was genuine.

"I figured you could use a candle in your favorite scent," Clarke said. "I hope you didn't already have it."

"Surprisingly, no." Lexa said. She placed the Yankee candle back into the bag and set it down on the floor. "Thank you," She said before leaning forward and placing a kiss on Clarke's lips.

The blonde reached up and cupped her cheek as they pulled apart. "You're welcome," she replied, leaning back in for another kiss.

What was to be an innocent kiss turned into a deeper, sloppier embrace on Clarke's end but Lexa wasn't pushing away. Clarke lightly pushed Lexa on her back allowing herself the space to climb on top of her, neither girl breaking the kiss. Lexa's hands dangerously explored Clarke's sides as the blonde settled her hands besides the other girl's head.

The door suddenly swung open and Lexa, being the only one to hear it, jumped up causing Clarke to fall over to the side.

"Stop fucking and hurry up it's almost midnight!" Raven slurred before disappearing back to the party.

"Clarke, I am so sorry," Lexa apologized. She extended her hand out for the other girl to take.

The blonde accepted Lexa's help but cursed under her breath at Raven's interruption. The two had found such a good rhythm without escalating things and Raven had completely vag-blocked.

"You know we could continue this later," Clarke said slowly, unsure if the brunette would play along. "If you want."

Lexa smiled, "I'd like that."

The two returned to join the others who had moved the party from the living room to the balcony. Bellamy and Murphy each held a bottle of champagne, ready to open it as soon as the clock struck midnight.

"I brought out your nonalcoholic sparkling wine," Octavia said, handing Clarke the bottle.

"You have nonalcoholic wine?" Raven asked, confused.

"I bought it earlier hoping Lexa would show up," Clarke admitted.

"Gross," Raven rolled yer eyes. "I'll take the champagne, please."

"Guys, it's starting." Bellamy said, interrupting their conversation.

"Twenty! Nineteen! Eighteen!" Everyone began to chant as they looked at a countdown projected on a nearby building.

Clarke turned to Lexa and smiled brightly at the girl, "I'm so happy you came, Lex."

"I'm happy I came too." Lexa said.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!" They continued.

"I really like you," Clarke admitted through everyone's counting.

"What? Lexa asked, unable to hear anything that the blonde had said.

"Five! Four! Three!" Echoed in the back.

"I said I really-" Clarke began but was interrupted by Lexa's lips on hers.

"Happy new year!" The group chanted in the back as Lexa and Clarke continued to kiss.

Murphy and Bellamy popped the champagne bottles and waved them around, splashing everyone with the liquid. Lincoln and Octavia shared a kiss of their own, theirs lasting nowhere near as long as Clarke and Lexa's.

"What were you saying? " Lexa asked after she pulled back from the kiss.

"Nothing," Clarke shook her head, "Happy new year, Lexa."

Clarke went around and hugged each and everyone of her friends except Raven, who was suddenly missing. She looked around, only to find her best friend making out with Brad on the corner of the balcony.

"Raven, stop!" she yelled as she pulled her best friend away from the guy. "He's got a girlfriend."

"Clarke, it's okay," she slurred, "We're not going to tell her."

"Raven," Clarke tried again, " I mean it get off of him."

"What's the matter?" Lexa asked, inching closer to the scene.

"Nothing," Clarke quickly answered. "I can handle this."

"Clarke, you are both drunk let me help."

On any other occasion Clarke would have preferred Lexa intervene, but this time the issue seemed too close to home. "She's making stupid decisions." Clarke sighed.

"You're just afraid i'm going to win the bet," Raven smiled.

"I don't care about the bet, Ray," Clarke said honestly. "Just get off of him."

Raven reluctantly stepped aside and brought her hands up in front of her. "Whatever." she sighed and walked over to the rest of the group.

"What's this about a bet?" Lexa asked after they'd cleared the situation.

Clarke didn't know whether to answer or not, but she felt like she needed to be honest. "Stupid 'get laid first' bet." She admitted.

"Get laid first?" Lexa asked, slightly taken back.

"Like, whoever gets laid first wins."

"So i'm part of a bet?"

"No, Lex, I promise," Clarke quickly defended. "We made that bet after I broke up with Finn. I don't even think about it as much as she does."

Lexa nodded, "Right, okay."

"Lexa, please believe me." Clarke pleaded. "I really like you."

"Clarke!" Bellamy and Octavia interrupted the duo. "We're taking pictures come on." As the siblings pulled her away, the blonde looked back at Lexa and mouthed 'I'll be right back'.

Lexa, being the only sober one, stood off to the side and watched as the group took an absurd amount of pictures. She was indifferent to it until she noticed the way Bellamy pulled Clarke over and threw her on her back. "Smile Clarkey!" Raven, who had quickly forgotten about being angry at her roommate, yelled in excitement.

The brunette watched as Bellamy held onto Clarke's thighs, holding her up on his back. Something inside Lexa burned as she watched. She had felt this feeling before, not recently but definitely a few times in her life. She was jealous.

"Okay put me down," Clarke begged after a few minutes. Bellamy let go of her legs and the blonde dropped back down to the ground, her hands running down to smooth the bottom of her black dress.

She returned to Lexa who instantly wrapped her arm around Clarke's waist and held her close. The blonde was oblivious to the protective notion, she was just happy to be held.

"Smile!" Octavia said before snapping a few pictures of the couple.

...

It took Clarke an hour to fully sober up, at which point she and Lexa were the only two not drunk off their ass.

Lexa was sitting on Clarke's lap, the only seat left in the living room given the fact that Miller and Murphy were passed out on the couch. Bellamy and Raven were playing a game of beer pong while the rest of the group crowded around them.

Clarke was absentmindedly caressing Lexa's arm while her other hand rested on the arm chair. The two had been sitting like that for a while, neither complaining about their position.

"What are you thinking about?" Clarke asked, noticing that Lexa was quietly staring off into space.

"That it's getting kind of late," Lexa replied. "I should probably head out."

"You should stay," Clarke offered.

"I'm only ten minutes away," Lexa laughed, "I'll be okay."

"It's like one in the morning on New Years Eve," Clarke reminded her. "People do dumb things at this hour."

"I'm a big girl, Clarke."

"Please, just stay," Clarke looked up at the brunette and flashed her ocean blue eyes.

Lexa stared at the blonde, unable to refuse her offer when she looked like such a fragile being.

"I don't have anything here-" She began, trying to come up with excuses.

"I have plenty of clothes you can change into." Clarke interrupted.

Lexa thought about it. "Okay, I'll stay."

"You'll have to sleep in my room though, the guys already got the couch." She pointed towards the two very passed out boys.

"I don't want to be an inconvenience, Clarke." Lexa said, reconsidering her acceptance.

"Shut up, please," the blonde said as she rolled her eyes. She motioned for Lexa to stand and she followed suit. "Let's go to bed." She offered.

Clarke took Lexa's hand in hers and led her down the hallway towards her room, a gesture that Raven didn't miss.

"Do you sleep in long sleeve or short sleeve?" Clarke asked as soon as the door shut behind them. She walked over to her dresser and shuffled through all her pajama options.

"I'll take a tank if you have one," Lexa replied. "And shorts please."

"Lex, it's like 15 degrees outside." Clarke said.

"I sleep in minimal clothing," Lexa admitted.

Clarke turned away from Lexa in an attempt to hide the red of her cheeks. She didn't want the brunette to know any of the thoughts that had filler her head due to her response.

She pulled out a blue Mount Weather University tank from the bottom of the drawer along with tiny black shorts, the only clean ones she had left. Before handing the items to Lexa, she grabbed a pair of gray sweatpants and her favorite oversized t-shirt.

"Do you need me to step out?" She asked Lexa.

"No it's okay," Lexa replied.

The two turned to face away from each other as they changed into their pajamas.

When Lexa gave her the all-clear, Clarke turned to find the other girl putting her hair up in a messy bun. She drew in a sharp breath as her eyes trailed over the exposed areas of Lexa's body. She was captivated by her tan, toned arms and delicate collarbones. It was a shame she had never seen the other girl in anything but jackets and long sleeves.

Lexa noticed Clarke watching her and just gave her a small smile. "Something wrong?" She asked.

Clarke shook her head in response, unable to fully speak. She was too busy admiring the visible tattoos on the brunettes torso - a date in roman numerals on the inside of her left bicep, too small to make out, and four lines on her collarbone.

Her eyes landed on an intricate tattoo design on the brunette's arm. The tattoo appeared like four boomerang-shaped figures mirroring each other, filled with lines and patterns within. Clarke was fascinated by the warrior-like tattoo and couldn't help but wonder how the brunette had chosen it.

"Your tattoo is beautiful," Clarke admitted.

"Which one?" Lexa asked, looking down at herself.

"The one on your right bicep."

"I was drunk when I got it," Lexa admitted, not too pleased with herself. She stepped closer towards the blonde so she could get a better view of it.

Clarke reached out and ran her fingers over the tattooed skin and thought about Lexa's admission. "How long ago?" She asked.

"I was in college," Lexa said. "Five years, maybe."

"It's so well done."

"I'm glad it looks good, I paid way too much for it."

"What about these?" She asked, pointing at the two smaller tattoos. "Were these drunken mistakes too?"

"No," Lexa said sternly. "Those are meaningful."

Clarke thought about her next question, worried she might cross a line by asking. "What do they mean?" She asked.

"This one is for sobriety," she said, pointing at the four small lines on her right collarbone. "Four lines so four years."

"And the date?" Clarke asked.

Lexa's demeanor quickly changed in response. She swallowed hard before speaking, "That's uh-" she tried to say, her voice shaky.

"It's okay, Lex, we don't have to talk about it," Clarke promised.

"Thanks." She said shyly. "What about you, Clarke, do you have any tattoos?"

Clarke blushed, not wanting to reveal the hidden ones she had. "Yeah," she smiled. "Two."

"Not very visible, I see."

"No, they're pretty hidden."

Lexa opened her mouth to say something but then retracted her thought. She bit her bottom lip, imagining all the possibilities of what kind of tattoos the blonde might have and where.

"We should sleep," Clarke said, changing the subject.

Clarke let Lexa pick a side of the bed to sleep on as she turned off the lights. It felt weird having the brunette in her room but it also made her feel happier.

The two laid in silence for a little, each thinking about different things. There were so many conversations Clarke wanted to have with Lexa but none that would be appropriate for the time of night.

"Hey, Clarke?" Lexa asked, hoping the blonde was still awake.

"Yeah?" She replied. She turned her body around to face Lexa.

"Would you like to come with me to LA next week?" Lexa asked.

"LA?"

"It's a business trip," Lexa admitted. "We're trying to sign an artist to the label but we need some convincing."

"And you want me to go?" Clarke asked.

"I usually bring Anya on these kinds of trips but she has to be here for an album release."

Clarke could tell that Lexa had turned on her professional mode. "But me? Out of all the other options..." She said.

"I think it would be a really good experience for you to learn how we do what we do," Lexa said. "Since I know you've been reading up on business."

"How do you know that?"

"I saw the book on the coffee table when we went on our first date."

"You weren't supposed to see that," Clarke said with a nervous laugh.

"Come to LA with me. I can teach you so much while we're there." Lexa promised.

"I don't know," Clarke sighed. "I'm not really good at any of this stuff yet, i'll probably ruin the whole thing."

"Clarke," Lexa said softly. "I want you there."

"Will this be just a professional thing?" Clarke asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Am I going to have to pretend like I don't really li-" Clarke paused before continuing. "Like i'm not dating you."

"We'll be there on business, yes, and when we deal with the client we have to act accordingly," Lexa began, "but when we're not we're free to do whatever we want."

"So I would get time with you?"

"Plenty of it."

"And we could maybe go on a date there?"

"If time allows, yes."

Clarke suddenly realized that they were soon to find just how hard it would be to draw the line between personal and professional.

"Then I want to go," Clarke finally answered. "Not just because it's a chance for me to learn something but because I want to be with you."

Clarke's words made Lexa smile, "I'll have Ontari book our flights then." She said with excitement.

 **If you don't know how King's Cup is played just ask me and I can explain, it's a fun game. So not a lot was revealed YET but as promised next chapter will be full of information. I will also _warn_ that next chapter is the point where this story fulfills its M rating. Thoughts? **


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10: Don't You Think It's Time_

Clarke and Lexa arrived at LAX after a seven-hour flight from New York, only to be met with a thunderstorm and potential flooding. The weather conditions caused a delay on their arrival by an hour, leaving a slightly frustrated Lexa.

Whatever plans she had to take Clarke to dinner were foiled by Mother Nature. She was devastated by the change of plans, having spent a good portion of the previous night planning out a date night for Clarke and herself. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with the blonde but they both knew this trip was more business than pleasure.

"There's a pizza place right by the apartment," Lexa informed Clarke as they entered the cab. If she wasn't going to get dinner date, she'd at least improvise. "I'll order now so it's ready when we get there. What would you like?"

"I'm fine with just pepperoni," Clarke said.

As Lexa made the call, Clarke stared out the window into the stormy streets of Los Angeles. Nighttime had settled on the city and she watched as people ran to take cover from the pouring rain.

"Pizza is being made," Lexa said after ending her call. She extended her hand out and placed it on Clarke's thigh, trying to get her attention. The blonde turned her head at the gesture and smiled.

They enjoyed their ride listening to the cab driver's chosen radio station, a mix of oldies and recent hits. Lucky for them, their cab driver wasn't much of a talker. When the radio turned to commercials, they discussed their previous traveling experiences.

It was the first time Clarke had ever been to the West Coast, the furthest she'd ever been from New York being Florida as a kid. Lexa had, over the years, become a frequent flyer, constantly visiting different cities to find new talent.

"Do you ever get tired of it?" Clarke asked as they sat at a red light.

"It was hard at first when it was just me and Anya," Lexa replied. "But we've grown and I have so many hard working talent scouts who can do this on a more consistent basis. With their help we've signed over fifteen artists in the last two years."

"If you have scouts, why are we doing this one?"

"Because I still enjoy getting to do it sometimes," Lexa shrugged. "Plus this artist is really important."

"Important?"

"She's an amazing singer and songwriter but unfortunately she hasn't had any luck with labels because she's gay," Lexa admitted. "No one will give her a shot."

"Are you serious? What year is it again?" Clarke asked mockingly.

"There are still people in this industry who will never change," the brunette said.

"So what's the plan to get her to want to sign with us?"

"We're meeting her at the studio tomorrow and we'll get to see her in action," Lexa said. "You and I will informally interview her just to see if she'd fit at the label."

"You want me to help interview?" Clarke asked, slightly taken aback by the mention of interviewing.

"Yes, it is why you're here after all," Lexa laughed. "Don't worry it's not as bad as you think."

The cab driver pulled up to the apartment complex and stopped the car. He turned to look at the two women in the back, his hand extended out towards both of them. "Forty dollars," he mumbled.

Lexa took out her wallet first and fished out a fifty-dollar bill. "Keep the change," she said with a smile before exiting the car. She held the door open for Clarke who slipped out almost immediately.

The two were drenched by the time they removed the bags from the cab's trunk and made their way across the street to pick up the pizza. It was pouring harder than when they arrived and neither girl had thought of buying an umbrella from the airport.

"I have a pick up order for Lexa Woods," the brunette mentioned at the front of the pizza restaurant. She took out another bill of cash and handed it to the cashier.

Clarke watched as Lexa wiped water away from her face, her make up smudging around the eyes, giving the brunette a pair of raccoon-eyes. She smiled to herself at the sight.

The restaurant employee presented them with a large pizza box tucked away in a plastic bag. "Thank you," both girls said in unison before returning out into the rain.

Minutes later they entered Lexa's small loft, dropping off their suitcases by the door. Clarke took in the apartment as Lexa disappeared into a hallway. She looked around in the living room, searching for pictures of Lexa but the room was stripped of any frames.

Lexa emerged from the hallway five minutes later dressed in an oversized t-shirt with black yoga pants. Her make-up was completely removed, a look that Clarke had never seen before. In her hands were an extra change of clothes and a white towel.

"Here," she said as she handed the items to the blonde. "So you don't have to dig through your suitcase."

Clarke thanked the other girl as she accepted the clothes and towel. "Who's is this?" she asked, noticing that Lexa had handed her a basketball jersey.

"Mine," Lexa replied.

"You're a Lakers fan?" Clarke asked, wrinkling her nose in disappointment.

"Knicks," she shook her head. "But I got it as a gift from a client."

Clarke removed the wet t-shirt from her body, not giving the brunette a warning before doing so. She threw on the jersey and stripped off her jeans, watching as Lexa looked around, avoiding eye contact. She slipped on the shorts and fixed her hair before informing the brunette that she was done.

"You know what? You can keep the jersey," Lexa said when her eyes fell on the blonde. "It looks way better on you."

Clarke blushed at the compliment. "I can rock a jersey," she joked.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Lexa asked. "And by anything I mean water since I don't have much here."

"Water is fine."

Lexa disappeared to get water while Clarke settled down on the couch. She removed the pizza box from the plastic bag that protected it and placed it on top. The strong smell of pizza filled the room and it took everything in her not to rip open the box and eat a slice.

The lights suddenly went out as Clarke sat back on the couch, waiting for the brunette. As if on cue, Lexa reappeared with two cups of water, using her phone as a flashlight to guide her.

"This would happen," she mumbled to herself as she placed the cups on the coffee table. She was already discontent with not being able to take Clarke out, and now her makeshift date was being ruined by a power outage.

"Do you need help getting supplies?" Clarke asked, noticing that the brunette was searching through a cabinet near the front of the room.

"I just found what I was looking for," Lexa said. "I have enough enough candles for the living room and the rooms," she added.

"How many rooms do you have?" Clarke asked. She could barely make Lexa out in the darkness but as soon as her eyes adjusted she could see her coming closer.

"Two," Lexa said, her voice closer to Clarke. "You can sleep in the master bedroom."

Lexa set three candles down in the center of the coffee table. Clarke smiled, a flashback to their first date consuming her thoughts.

"This is awfully romantic for a business trip," she joked as Lexa finished lighting the last candle. She took a seat next to Clarke, allowing only a few inches worth of space.

"That part of the trip doesn't start until we meet with Ashley tomorrow," Lexa replied happily.

"So what part of the trip is this?" Clarke asked, scooting closer into Lexa's space, their bodies officially touching.

Lexa leaned in and pressed her lips on Clarke's cheek. "The better part," she said as she pulled back. She reached towards the coffee table and grabbed two slices of pizza, handing one to Clarke and keeping the other for herself.

"This is a nice place," Clarke said, changing the subject. "How many more secret locations do you own?"

"If I told you I'd have to kill you," Lexa said with a smirk.

"Now I'm intrigued," Clarke winked.

"I'm just kidding," Lexa shook her head. "Just this one and a house in North Carolina."

"For your brother?"

"It's a summer house," Lexa shrugged. "But I stay there when I visit him."

"I've never been to North Carolina," Clarke admitted.

"I can take you there one day," Lexa smiled. "If you want."

"I'd like that, yeah."

Lexa shifted her body to face Clarke, putting one leg up on the couch while resting the other foot on the floor. "I'm sorry I couldn't take you anywhere today," she said.

"I like spending time with you, Lex," Clarke admitted. "We don't have to be going anywhere."

Lexa placed her half-eaten pizza on the open box and turned back to look into Clarke's eyes. She leaned forward, placing her forehead on Clarke's and smiling. "I like spending time with you too," she said.

The two stared into each other's eyes before Lexa made the first move. She leaned in slowly and pressed her lips against the blonde's. The first kiss was slow, lips brushing in unison like a pair of synchronized swimmers. With a boost of confidence, Lexa sat up and wrapped her legs around Clarke's waste, never breaking away from her lips as she straddled her. The blonde's hands found comfort on Lexa's waist, holding her steady above her.

Clarke relished every movement of Lexa's tongue against her own. It was a new side of Lexa, one that took control and drove Clarke crazy. Their pizza was forgotten as the two kissed passionately on the couch. Clarke's hands explored the inches of exposed skin on Lexa's hips, as the brunette held onto her shoulders.

With a swift movement, Clarke removed Lexa's shirt and threw it to the side. They broke off from their kiss just to let the shirt be removed but they were too hungry for each other to stop kissing and their lips drawing back to each other like magnets.

The lights returned in the midst of their embrace. Neither girl noticed the change, both far too preoccupied trying to keep themselves from exploding.

Lexa was the first to emit an audible moan. She could feel Clarke's hands caressing every inch of her sides, sneaking their way up to her back. She was so caught up in the moment, so turned on by their closeness that she didn't notice what Clarke was doing until it was too late.

Clarke unhooked Lexa's bra with a single motion but the brunette pulled away before it could fall. Her eyes were wide with surprise, pupils still dilated from attraction.

"Clarke," she said, her voice hitched. She held her arm over her chest, keeping the bra from falling and exposing herself. "I should- we should-" she stumbled on her words. She cleared her throat before continuing, getting off of Clarke in the process. "I need to go shower and go to bed."

With that, Lexa stood up from the couch, grabbed the shirt from the floor, and walked in the direction of the hallway.

"Your room is the last one down the hall," she turned and said. "There's a bathroom in it," she said before disappearing.

Clarke sat quietly and watched the brunette walk away. She blew out the candles in the middle of the coffee table and used her phone to light her way to the room Lexa mentioned was going to be hers. She was confused and considerably disappointed.

...

After finally showering and clearing her thoughts, Clarke re-entered the room in one of her own sleeping outfits, a t-shirt and boy short underwear. She lit the couple of candles Lexa had left behind, opting to use the candle light instead of the power in the event that the lights were to go out again.

She sat up against the headboard, cell phone in hand. She debated calling Raven but settled on the only person who would be useful in her situation.

"Clarke," Octavia said from the other line, her voice sounding sleepy. "Is everything okay?"

"No, O, I need your advice."

"You do realize it's 3 am, right? I work in the morning."

"Oh shit, I didn't even think about that,"

"Are you and Lexa okay?"

Clarke bit the inside of her cheek at the mention of the other girl's name. "We're fine I just... I think I screwed this up."

Clarke hears the clicking of a lamp and she imagines Octavia sitting up on her bed, ready to hear what Clarke has to say. "What happened?" She asked. The blonde could tell there was a bit of hesitance in her voice.

"We were making out like normal and I got carried away," she answered.

"Define carried away."

"I took her shirt off which she seemed to be okay with but then I went to unhook her bra and she pulled away immediately," Clarke said.

"What did she say?"

"She just made an excuse that she had to shower and go to bed"

"Clarke, can I be honest?"

"Uh, yes."

"I think you're overreacting," Octavia laughed.

"This isn't funny, O, I really like her," Clarke sighed. "Now she's going to think I don't care about how she feels."

"She probably just got nervous," Octavia said. "You're being so dramatic."

"I just don't want to fuck this up," Clarke sighed.

Octavia laughed. "Raven is so right," she said.

"About what?"

"She said you've never been so into someone like you are with Lexa, it's…" Octavia sighed. "It's nice to see."

"Do you two spend your free time talking about my love life?"

"We're just happy that you're getting over that asshole," Octavia said.

Clarke clicked her tongue and scoffed. "I've been over him," she defended.

"Whatever you say, Clarke," Octavia said. "But I know that Finn really hurt you. You can play tough girl on Raven but with me you know you have no way out."

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door, causing Clarke to jump back in response.

"I'll call you tomorrow, O," she said quickly and hung up the phone.

Clarke stood up from the bed and walked over to the door. She opened it slowly, revealing a clean Lexa in a loose tank and short shorts. The blonde noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath and her eyes focused on anything but her chest.

"Hey," Clarke said, her voice soft.

"Hi," Lexa said, looking down at her hands. "Can we talk?"

Clarke stepped aside, allowing Lexa to step into the room. "What's on your mind?" Clarke asked.

"I didn't mean to dismiss you like that," Lexa said. She walked over to the bed and sat down at the edge, looking at Clarke who was walking over.

Clarke shook her head. "I'm sorry for getting carried away."

Lexa smiled softly, she reached out taking Clarke's hands in her own. "I got nervous," she admitted.

"Don't be nervous, Lexa, we're at your pace," Clarke said looking down into the green eyes she couldn't get enough of.

"I think I'm ready," Lexa said matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure? Because you just turned me down like half an hour ago and not that I'm complain-"

Lexa stood up and interrupted Clarke by placing her lips and the blonde's, "I was nervous," she said into the kiss. "But I want this just as much as you do."

She pulled her head back and looked at Clarke. The two stared at one another, eyes darting from lips to eyes and back. No words were spoken but enough was said by their gazes. "Lex-" Clarke began but she had no time to react. Lexa leaned forward and brought their lips together.

This kiss felt new to Clarke, it was passionate and full of desire. Lexa wasn't holding back at all anymore. Her hands fell on Clarke's waist, pulling her forward and closing the gap that existed between them.

Lexa sat back down at the edge of the bed, pushing her body back towards the center of it. Clarke followed her lead without ever letting their lips lose contact.

Their position didn't last long as Lexa took control again and flipped Clarke over on her back, straddling her in the process. Only the thin fabric of her underwear covered Clarke's lower half, causing her hips to jerk in response to the new position. She had never been so dominated by anyone before and she was starting to like it.

"Fuck," she said into Lexa's lips.

Driven by desire and the sight of Lexa on top of her, Clarke lifted the bottom of Lexa's tank and let her hands explore the soft skin. She rolled the edge of her shirt up inch by inch, worried that the brunette would stop her in her tracks.

"Take it off," Lexa mumbled into their kiss.

Clarke wasn't one to take orders but when Lexa instructed her to take the shirt off, she happily obliged. She threw it off to the side and pulled away from the kiss to admire the topless brunette.

"We don't have to if-" she began to say, but Lexa was back on her lips, interrupting her yet again.

"Lexa, wait," Clarke tried, pushing the brunette up enough to look her in the eyes.

"What?"

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, Clarke, I'm sure," Lexa replied, slightly out of breath.

"I just want you to know that I'm okay waiting," Clarke said nervously.

"Clarke," Lexa said softly. "I am topless and straddling you. I want this."

Lexa didn't give the blonde an opportunity to respond. She captured her lips and pressed her body down into the other girl's, causing her to emit a long moan.

Clarke swallowed hard as Lexa moved down enough to grip the edge of her shirt.

"Let me," the blonde said as she sat up.

Lexa watched as she pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it aside. The blonde laid below her clad only in her underwear. Lexa's eyes were fixed on the other girl's breasts then trailing down the rest of her body. She stopped at the cluster of small stars tattooed on Clarke's right hip.

"I told you they're pretty hidden," Clarke said when she noticed Lexa's eyes fixed on her tattoo.

Lexa smiled and kissed the blonde, leaving the tattoo conversation for another time.

Clarke's hands gripped the hem of Lexa's shorts, lightly tugging at them. Lexa responded by lifting her body and allowing the blonde to roll the shorts and underwear off of her.

With a completely naked girl on top of her, Clarke mustered the courage to flip them over. She stripped out of her underwear before Lexa could even say anything.

Clarke kissed Lexa sweetly before pulling back and trailing kisses down her jawline, inching toward her neck. Her lips hovered over the brunette's pulse point, teasing her until she jerked her hips up in protest. "Clarke," she moaned.

Clarke was turned on from the minute Lexa entered the room, but the sight of her begging made the blonde feel a sudden burst of pleasure. She kissed Lexa's neck a little too hard, knowing the brunette would likely have a bruise in the morning.

Instead of protesting, Lexa moaned loudly causing Clarke to move further down her body. She inched closer and closer to her desired destination but was stopped by Lexa's hand on her chin. "Clarke," she said. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

There was nothing more that Clarke wanted to do than to taste Lexa, to discover the ways her tongue could made her squirm with pleasure. But she respected Lexa and she understood that there were certain things she wasn't ready to do.

She crawled back up towards Lexa, blue eyes locking with green ones in the process. Lexa could see the desire in Clarke's eyes and she knew the blonde could see it in hers too.

Clarke wasted no time in finding a new positon. She moved one hand over to feel Lexa's breasts while the other teased at the top of her thighs.

"Please," Lexa whimpered, taking Clarke's right hand and moving it to her center.

The blonde inserted two fingers into Lexa, moaning audibly at the feel of her wetness. Her thumb rubbed lightly on the brunette's clit, trying to find the perfect tempo. She watched as Lexa reacted to the different rhythms, settling with a semi-quick speed.

"Fuck," Lexa let out between breaths. "I'm so close."

Clarke kept her pace, feeling the way Lexa's walls tightened around her fingers. She continued to kiss the other girl until her body was rocking forward, overtaken by the immense pleasure the blonde had given her.

"Wow," Lexa said completely out of breath.

"That good, huh?" Clarke asked, smirking. She removed her fingers from Lexa's core and used the bed sheet to clean them off. She thought about licking her fingers in the sensual way she'd seen in videos but the fact that Lexa wasn't ready for the oral intimacy kept her from it.

Lexa waited enough to catch her breath before pushing Clarke off her and switching positions. She didn't tease much like Clarke did, knowing fully well that the blonde had enough of it.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Clarke said.

"Sorry, what?" Lexa asked, running her fingers over Clarke's wet folds.

Clarke blushed in embarrassment at the knowledge that she was extremely wet. She had so much to be turned on about and Lexa's fingers inside her were the tipping point.

"Shit," she groaned when Lexa instantly found her rhythm. It was like the brunette knew exactly what to do and when to do it.

Clarke didn't want to be the one who came instantly but she was so worked up by getting Lexa off that it was nearly impossible. The second she felt her orgasm coming, she grabbed Lexa's hand and pushed her fingers further in.

"I'm gonna come," she announced between moans.

Lexa used that as a stimulus, rubbing Clarke and finger-fucking her hard enough that she crumbled instantly. Her moans turned into screams as she rode the wave of orgasms that were hitting her.

"I had a feeling you'd be loud," Lexa broke the silence when Clarke came down from her orgasm.

…

Lexa laid silently with her back against the blonde and minimal space between their naked bodies. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, looking down at their scattered clothes.

Her mind replayed the moments before and the brunette smiled at the thought. It had been a while, months actually, since she had been intimate with someone and although she had been scared about getting to this point with Clarke, she felt content with their progression.

The blonde was beside her, laying sideways with her head rested on her hand, the other lightly caressing Lexa's arm, fingers dancing over the soft skin and running over the brunette's intricate tattoo.

"What are you thinking about?" Clarke asked, breaking their comfortable silence. It was clear to her that the other girl was awake but something was consuming her thoughts.

Lexa turned slowly, the sheets barely covering her torso as she rolled on her back. She raised her left arm above her head then looked up at the ceiling. "Nothing important," she said with a soft smile, eyes still fixed on the ceiling. She was reserved, but still reveling in the moment.

Clarke didn't push the subject any further. She knew the other girl would often crawl back into her shell and she'd be open when she felt like it.

Her gaze landed on the small tattoo on the brunette's left bicep. She reached over and lightly brushed her fingers over the paper clip sized roman numerals painted on her skin.

"February 18, 2006," Clarke whispered to herself as she made meaning of the numbers.

Lexa grew tense under Clarke's touch at the mention of the date. The blonde's eyes darted up to her face, focusing on her tight jaw and blank stare. She could tell she'd struck a chord again.

The brunette bit the bottom of her lip in an attempt to hold back tears, but her emotions were too strong and she couldn't keep it together any longer. A single tear crept its way out, slowly streaming down Lexa's right cheek but Clarke was quick to wipe It away.

"We don't have to talk," she reassured the brunette.

"No. I need to open up to you, Clarke," Lexa replied, turning to look Clarke in the eyes. "Lack of communication is what led Costia to cheat on me."

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to though," Clarke insisted. "I understand."

Lexa closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath in the process. "The date is the anniversary of my parent's death," she said, her voice shaky in response.

Clarke could tell this wasn't a common topic of discussion for the brunette. Lexa was tense as she spoke and her eyes focused on anything but the girl who laid beside her. "Lex," Clarke said lowly. "I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, everything was starting to make sense to her. She understood now why the mere suggestion of her family would make Lexa feel on edge, why every time Clarke said anything about it, she'd clench her jaw and quickly try to change the subject.

"Clarke," Lexa whispered, her voice gentle but still raspy from the sex.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to know things about me," Lexa said.

"You've told me enough," Clarke promised. "You really don't have to make things worse for yourself."

"Clarke, if we're going to be in a relationship-"

"I know but I can tell it pains you to talk about it," Clarke interrupted.

Lexa stared into the ocean blue eyes of the girl who laid beside her. "I was sixteen," she began. "We were living in Syracuse at that point. My baby brother was barely two when it happened."

Clarke listened attentively as Lexa spoke. "It was the night of the first round of varsity basketball playoffs and my parents came to my game, as they always did," Lexa recalled.

"They must have been so proud," Clarke smiled.

"They were. I know they were," Lexa replied.

"Please continue, I didn't mean to interrupt you," the blonde admitted.

"I got invited to a post-game party and I was trying to get with this girl who was going so I lied and told my parents that Anya wanted to do a sleepover at her place," Lexa continued.

Clarke made a mental note about Anya, surprised to know that she and Lexa had been friends for so long. The more she thought about it though, the more it made sense.

"I went to that party, drank way too much, and completely lost the little amount of battery that I had on my phone, so I never got the initial call," Lexa said, a tear forming at the corner of her eye. "The cops showed up at Anya's in the middle of the night and broke the news to her parents. They thought she was staying at my place because that's what we used to do, we'd tell each other's parents we'd be staying at the other's."

"You had to find out through Anya's parents?" Clarke asked.

"No, they called Anya and picked us up from the house we were at and drove us to the police station," Lexa responded. "I don't even remember getting told what happened. I went into a state of shock."

"That must have been so hard for you, Lex," Clarke said.

"They were on their way to pick up Aden from my aunt's house cause that's where he stayed when I played-" Lexa voice broke, "and they we t-boned by a drunk diver who ran a red light. My mom died on the scene and my dad was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead there."

Clarke felt her own eyes start to water at Lexa's revelation. This was too much for a girl, specially one as sweet as Lexa, to deal with. It was understandable to her now why the other girl was so pained. The blonde understood loss too but not in the same caliber as Lexa, not at all.

"I was so emotionally traumatized for so long I couldn't even see my brother for a few days," Lexa cried. She suddenly found herself enveloped in Clarke's arms, their naked bodies keeping one another warm and making Lexa feel protected for once. "I felt to blame like I was responsible for what happened."

Clarke let the tear she was chocking back fall at Lexa's last admission. The thought of Lexa feeling responsible for the own parent's death really hit her.

"I hope you don't still blame yourself," Clarke whispered.

"I don't," Lexa promised. "It took a long time for me to get here though.

"Lexa?" Clarke asked softly.

Lexa shifted her body to face Clarke, the blonde's arms still wrapped around her. "Yeah?" she said.

"Is that why you're sober?"

"It's complicated," Lexa sighed. "But it has something to do with it."

Clarke stayed quiet, not wanting to press the other girl more than she already had. She moved her right hand down Lexa's arm and settled on her exposed hip. Everything about this moment felt so intimate and the blonde was slightly taken aback by it.

Lexa let herself out of Clarke's embrace and sat up slowly, her hand pressing the bed sheet onto her chest to cover herself. She turned to face the blonde before speaking. "I started drinking a lot in high school. I don't know how I managed to graduate but somehow I did and I got into Mount Weather," Lexa began. "As my dad would have wanted."

"Is that where he went?" Clarke asked, looking up at the brunette who sat beside her. She raised her arm and moved a strand of hair behind Lexa's tiny ear.

"Both of my parents graduated from there and they would always tell me that's where they wanted me to go," Lexa said. "So I went there and I started off in the law school and I hated it."

"Why did you choose law?"

"The legal system sucks, Clarke, it's bullshit. After my parent's accident I wanted to do law and help out families of who experience the same thing," the brunette answered.

"What made you switch to music business?"

"My dad," Lexa said quickly.

"Your dad?" Clarke repeated.

"He was a business man and he taught me about business from a young age. When I started getting sober I realized that my passion was there and in music so I switched over to music business," the brunette said. "I worked on my sobriety on and off with Anya's help but I couldn't really commit until after I graduated from Mount Weather."

Clarke reached up, running her index finger over the four lines tattooed on Lexa's collarbone. "Four years," she said. "Now it makes sense."

"Do you remember when I interviewed you and we talked about the astronomy class?" Lexa asked.

Clarke nodded almost immediately. "You said you never went to it."

"I never went to class because when I wasn't working with Lincoln and the boys, I was drunk," the brunette admitted. "The music industry, as you'll see, is a pretty fucked up place to be in. Drugs and alcohol are easily made available to you. So of course when I started working in the industry, even with a mini label from home, I started hanging out with the wrong crowd."

Clarke placed her hand on the small of Lexa's back, causing the brunette to shiver at the touch. "What did it?" she asked.

"Anya got tired of watching me waste my life on drugs and alcohol. I was always good at playing the part when I needed to but she knows me better than anyone else and she knew if I didn't make a permanent change that I would never get to have this dream career," Lexa said. "She called me a few names but what really did it was when she told me my dad wouldn't be proud of and that-"

Lexa could vividly remember the painful conversation she had with Anya the day she finally decided to change. It was a rude awakening but exactly what she needed to hear.

Clarke stared up Lexa who had gone quiet, unable to finish her current train of thought. The blonde was mesmerized by Lexa's work ethic before their conversation but knowing now what she went through made her twice as admirable.

Just as Clarke was going to speak, Lexa laid back down beside her and sighed. "Wow," she said after letting the big breath she had been holding in. "You got all that out of me in a month of dating. I couldn't open up to Costia for a year."

"A year?" Clarke asked.

"She wasn't as easy to talk to as you are," Lexa said.

"Thank you," Clarke said, bringing her right hand to cup Lexa's cheek. "For trusting me."

Lexa placed her hand above Clarke's, running her fingers over her knuckles. "No, Clarke, thank you for listening."

"I am so sorry that you've had to endure all of this,"

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Lexa quoted.

The two grew silent, sleep finding the both of them simultaneously. "I don't know why I'm so tired," Clarke yawned.

"We had a long flight and-"Lexa cleared her throat, "sex can be tiring."

"Speak for yourself," Clarke smirked.

The blonde turned her body to face Lexa as they laid in silence. They were comfortably laying together, neither eager to put clothes back on or make any trips to the bathroom.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked, her voice soft.

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?" she asked, her eyes closed as she spoke.

"This is your apartment," Clarke said with a chuckle.

"You know what I mean," Lexa opened her eyes and looked into Clarke's before closing them again.

"Yes," Clarke said happily. "I prefer you sleep with me tonight."

The blonde did not get a reply from Lexa who was quickly fast asleep. Clarke didn't blame her though. All their physical activity aside, Lexa had opened up about her entire life and that in itself can be so emotionally tiring. Clarke understood.

"Goodnight, Lex," she whispered before placing a soft kiss on the brunette's temple.

"Night, Clarke," Lexa mumbled.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are always nice, :) If you're interested to know more about Aden, it's coming. Soon.**


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11: Are You Gonna Be My Girl?_

Clarke woke to an arm wrapped around her waist, holding her tight against the naked sleeping body behind her. She felt a wave of nerves hit her as she processed the events of the night before. Everything about the night was dream-like but the warmth beside her told her it was was definitely real.

She shifted slowly, turning her body under Lexa's arm without waking the brunette. She gave herself enough room to look at the other girl, watching the way she slept peacefully.

Clarke felt slightly at fault for Lexa's visible exhaustion. The two may have consummated their relationship after a stressful evening, but Clarke knew the brunette was emotionally depleted from recounting her past.

Clarke was thankful, and in part honored, that the other girl had trusted her enough to reveal something so personal. It made the blonde feel like they could move forward in their relationship, if that's even what they were in yet.

"I hope you've memorized me enough to describe me to a police office if I ever go missing," Lexa said. Her voice was low, warm with sleep, but still audible enough for the blonde to hear her.

"What?" Clarke replied.

"You're staring, Clarke," the brunette replied, a smile pulling at her lips as her eyes opened slowly. She took in the view of the gorgeous face in front of hers and sighed in content.

Lexa wasn't one to overtly ogle over a girl, but that all went out the window when she stared into the blonde's blue eyes. Her eyes trailed over Clarke's face, enjoying the way she looked without make up.

"Now who's staring," Clarke said, causing Lexa to blush in response.

"Good morning," the brunette said.

"Good morning," Clarke repeated. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's okay. We have to leave soon anyway," Lexa reminded her.

Clarke was happy in her current position. She didn't want to do anything else for the rest of the day, just lie comfortably with Lexa instead.

"Do we really have to?" Clarke frowned, giving Lexa a well-practiced puppy dog expression.

Lexa smiled knowing fully well that the blonde was joking around. "I'll make it up to you," she promised.

Clarke was taken aback by Lexa's reply. Ever so often, Lexa would say or do things that Clarke wouldn't expect, specially when it came to flirting. Not because the brunette had "no game", she did and Clarke knew it, but because for someone who was emotionally reserved from the start, Lexa really knew her way with words.

"I'll take you up on it," Clarke grinned.

Clarke's eyes scanned Lexa's face, slowly moving down to her neck, trying to suppress a moan. The two were still fully naked, their bodies hiding under the thin fabric of the bed sheets.

"Oh shit," Clarke gasped, taking in the small bruise on Lexa's neck.

"What?" Lexa asked, confused and concerned.

"Please don't be mad," Clarke began. "I may have left a hickey on your neck."

"Clarke!" Lexa exclaimed. "What are you a high school boy?"

"I'm sorry I was-" Clarke paused, "you know, really into it."

"I can't go to the studio like this," Lexa sighed.

"It's small you can cover it up with make up," the blonde suggested.

Lexa rolled her green eyes and gave up. "Next time control your vampire urges," she said.

The two laid in a comfortable silence, neither sure what to discuss next. Clarke debated mentioning the events of the night before, but she decided against it when Lexa sat up. The brunette reached over her and grabbed her cell phone from the night stand next to her.

Lexa leaned her back onto the headboard as she looked through the messages and missed calls. "Shit," she let out.

"What happened?" Clarke asked, a hint of concern in her voice. She lifted her body up to rest on her elbows, looking at Lexa for an answer.

"I have a missed call from Aden," Lexa admitted.

"Call him back."

"I can't he's in school now."

"What if it's an emergency?"

"He would have called more than once," she said. "I'll just text him."

Clarke laid back down, looking up at the ceiling as Lexa continued to check her phone. She thought about Lexa and her brother, imagining what kind of dynamic the two might have given their noticeable age difference and separation.

"Lex?" Clarke asked, resorting to the nickname she enjoyed calling her.

"Yeah?" Lexa replied, eyes still glued to her phone.

Clarke turned her head to look at the other girl, "Can I ask you something?"

"Whatever you want, Clarke," she replied. The blonde smiled, always giddy about the way Lexa said her name.

"What happened to your brother?" Clarke asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why is he so far away from you?" Clarke asked. "Why North Carolina?"

Lexa looked down at Clarke, noticing that she had a very concerned look on her face. She put her phone down next to her before speaking. "My aunt took us in after the accident and then they moved away to North Carolina when I went to college."

"She separated you from him?"

"Technically I separated myself from them since I went to Mount Weather," Lexa said. She seemed okay to talk about the distance between her and her brother, more so than the loss of her parents. "But my aunt had her reasons for moving down."

"You mentioned once that he's in boarding school now, right?" Clarke asked. She was trying to understand everything about Lexa.

"My aunt couldn't take care of him after I graduated college so she enrolled him in a boarding school and i've been paying for it since," Lexa admitted.

"You never thought about bringing him back to New York?"

Lexa chuckled softly. "I can't take care of a preteen, Clarke," she said, matter-of-factly.

"But he's your baby brother," Clarke frowned.

"I was in no state to take him in after I graduated and even after I got sober I had work to deal with," Lexa said. "I wouldn't be a good guardian."

Their conversation was interrupted by the buzzing of Lexa's phone. "Aden texted back," she said, a smile on her face. She read the message to herself then wrote back a quick response.

Clarke wondered what Lexa's younger brother might be like. Does he have her personality or is he the complete opposite? She knew from the images in Lexa's apartment that he looked partially like her but his blue eyes and shaggy blonde hair were counter to Lexa's brown hair and green eyes.

"Do you mind if I make a call?" Lexa asked, interrupting Clarke's thoughts.

"Go for it," Clarke said.

Lexa looked on as Clarke sat up, bed sheets falling and leaving her exposed. The blonde didn't care though, Lexa has already seen enough of her. "Nice tattoo," Lexa said, her eyes caught up on the large compass on the blonde's left shoulder.

"Oh yeah," Clarke laughed, "you only saw the stars last night."

Lexa choked at Clarke's comment, "Aren't you proud of yourself," she joked.

"I'll give you some privacy," Clarke offered.

"No stay," Lexa pleaded. "I'm just calling Ontari and then we can get ready."

Clarke laid back down not wanting to leave the brunette's side yet. If they had to endure the rest of the day as professionals, she'd at least milk the rest of the time she had to just be with regular Lexa.

Lexa brought her finger up to warn Clarke to stay quiet before speaking in her strong business-like voice, "Ontari, I need a flight booked."

Clarke always enjoyed watching Lexa's demeanor change when she was in a professional setting. She had an extremely straight-to-the-point attitude when she needed something done.

"Departure date will be February 16 from the Wilmington Airport and return date for February 19," Lexa informed her assistant. "It's for my brother so make sure you add the unaccompanied minor service."

Clarke waited patiently for Lexa to finish but she seemed to be giving Ontari a lot of information.

"Don't worry about any hotel rooms, he stays with me," the brunette added.

When Lexa finally hung up the phone, Clarke was eagerly awaiting with her head resting on her hand and her exposed body facing the brunette. Lexa swallowed hard in response, trying not to get worked up before they had to leave.

"Is your brother coming?" Clarke asked.

"He texted me to inform me that the school is giving him days off to visit me for the anniversary of our parent's death."

"Lex," Clarke said, lowly. "I'm sorry."

"I'll get to spend time with him that's what matters," the brunette said.

"I'd like to meet him," Clarke admitted. "If that's okay, of course."

"I can arrange that," Lexa smiled.

* * *

Neither girl got out of bed at the time they were supposed to. Clarke, being the slowest of the two, took twice as long to change and get ready. Unsure of what the dress code for their day would be, she struggled to pick out the right outfit. She rummaged through her suitcase a few times, unable to decide on anything.

Clarke eventually settled on a black pencil skirt and white button-up blouse that made her breasts stick out like a sore thumb. She changed quickly, removing the tags off the recently purchased clothing. Not ever being one to own too much business clothes, she had bought most of the clothes in her suitcase solely for the trip. Clarke loved the ease of jeans and a jacker, that style she could easily rock. Business formal, not so much.

Lexa returned to be with Clarke after getting ready in the other room. She was dressed in black slacks with a faded denim button-up shirt, a look that suited her very well. Clarke's eyes lingered a little too long when Lexa walked into the room, relishing the view of the brunette's ass in the tight black pants.

"For future reference, you don't have to dress like you're starring in the next House of Cards episode," Lexa joked as she approached the blonde. She noticed Clarke checking her out, but she didn't comment on it. "It's not that formal."

Clarke sighed. "Lex, I have no idea what i'm doing," she admitted.

Lexa found the blonde's attempts at being more business-like to be extremely endearing. She knew the other girl was eager to learn and be better, but she was too cute not to admire.

"Are you comfortable?" Lexa asked, reached to pull up the tight pencil skirt.

"Not at all," Clarke huffed.

The brunette looked at Clarke then down at the contents of her blue suitcase. She bent down, shuffling through it and pushing aside all the formal clothes. She landed on black jeans at the bottom of the pile and pulled them out.

"No need for pencil skirts just wear jeans," she suggested as she handed Clarke the pants.

Clarke slipped out of the skirt, letting it pool at the bottom of her legs. She took the jeans from Lexa and put them on, doing a tiny dance as she slipped them past her thighs.

"Nice moves," Lexa said with a smile.

She had, for once, not turned her head to look away when Clarke undressed. The blonde saw it as a sign of progress between them.

Clarke took a step toward Lexa and gently pressed her lips atop the brunette's. "Thank you for helping," she said.

After their moment, Lexa made Clarke pick up the pace and finish getting ready so they could leave and be on time. When the two were finally good to go, Lexa walked them over to the apartment garage and showed Clarke to her car.

"For someone who doesn't like wasting money you sure have a lot of cars and houses," Clarke said as they neared a red BMW.

"Hey, I frequent California too much to not have a place to stay and a means of transportation," Lexa defended. She walked over to the passenger side, opening the door for Clarke and waiting for her to settle into the leather seat before closing it.

Lexa walked around and sat down in the driver's seat, starting up the engine with just a touch of a button. Clarke watched her as she messed with control panel, switching the air conditioner to a heater and turning on the seat warmers. She placed her right hand on the gearshift and moved it around to back out of her parking spot.

Clarke looked down at Lexa's slender fingers wrapped around the gearshift, inviting her to rest her hand on hers. So she did. She reached out her left hand and placed it gently on Lexa's.

"Is this okay?" She asked, looking up at the brunette for a confirmation.

"It's perfect," Lexa said. She turned and smiled at the blonde, green eyes hidden by a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses.

The drive to the studio was short, lasting only ten minutes. They arrived at the studio exactly on time, something Lexa didn't usually like to do but ignored considering the fact that Ashley was still not there.

They waited outside, both standing by the front of the door, a few feet apart.

A young girl approached them minutes later, donning a red flannel layered over a black tank. The fabric of her ripped blue jeans hung loose at the knees, making her look like a grungy rock star. Her bright blue-green hair was tied up in a ponytail, a few short strands hanging down the front of her face.

The girl took her time making her way towards the patiently waiting duo. She held a guitar case in one hand, and an iced coffee in another.

"Hey, I'm Ashley," she said enthusiastically when she stopped in front of the two girls.

She set her guitar case down on the ground and shifted her drink to the other hand, wiping her wet hand on her jeans. She extended her hand out for Lexa to shake first.

"I'm Alexandria Woods, owner of Grounder Records," the brunette said, firmly shaking Ashley's hand. "But you can call me Lexa."

"Clarke Griffin," the blonde said next. "I'm the Graphic Designer," she added, stretching out her own hand.

Clarke's handshake was weaker than Lexa's but she held her own. Ashley's hand lingered just a little too long on Clarke's, something only Lexa seemed to notice. She paid not mind to it though, giving the younger girl the benefit of the doubt.

"Thank you for setting this up," Ashley said, picking up her guitar from the ground and following Clarke and Lexa into the studio.

"It's my pleasure," Lexa smiled.

It was funny, Clarke could already distinguish the many different smiles Lexa used on people. But there was only one she reserved for Clarke, and that one was the blonde's favorite.

"Did you fly in today?" Ashley asked.

"Last night, actually," Lexa replied.

"Oh, dude," Ashley said, her eyes growing wild in surprise. "You caught that storm, huh?"

"Yeah, it was horrible. We were delayed for about an hour," Clarke interjected.

"I'm glad you made it safely," Ashley smiled looking directly at the blonde, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Lexa.

The three entered the recording studio and sat down around one of the tables in the back.

Lexa kicked off the conversation by sharing a little about herself, her position, and why they were there. Clarke didn't speak much to begin with, giving Lexa the rein to do what she knows best. Ashley listened attentively, occasionally eying the blonde as she watched the brunette speak.

The conversation moved quickly as the brunette had a lot to cover. They eventually found their way to discussing the opportunities Ashley would have if she signed with them.

"We would fly you out to New York for the recording process," Lexa said. "You'll have lodging and most expenses covered during the first three months while you're writing and recording."

Clarke's focus was solely on Lexa as she explained the way her company conducted their business. It was like watching her read through a script, without actually looking down at the lines.

"There is no need to worry about your sexuality being a problem at our label," Lexa promised. "I myself am gay and don't put up with any of that homophobic bullshit."

"I knew I liked you," Ashley said with a wink. It wasn't flirtatious, not like the ones she had been sending to Clarke.

"Anyway," Lexa continued, "Clarke here will help with the album artwork and graphics once we're at that step," the brunette added.

"You any good?" Ashly asked, looking at Clarke.

The blonde nodded, unsure of how to really respond to her question.

"She's the most talented artist i've ever seen," Lexa added.

Clarke couldn't tell if that comment was coming from business Lexa or her Lexa, but either way it made her blush.

"That's legit," Ashley nodded.

She reached into her jean pockets and pulled out a long joint. Clarke watched her, surprised by how nonchalant she was about smoking weed in a studio.

"You mind?" the blue haired girl ask, the spliff already at her lips.

"No, go ahead," Lexa shrugged. She didn't really mind artists smoking weed in front of her, she was used to worse. "Clarke, do you mind?" She asked, aware that the other girl wasn't as accustomed to these situations.

"Fine by me," Clarke said.

Ashley lit the joint and held it out towards the blonde. "Want some?" She asked.

Clarke shook her head. She wasn't too into smoking weed. She had tried it a few times in college, never really getting into it like some of her friends. She'd preferred to smoke her occasional cigarettes instead.

"If you'll excuse me i'm going to run to the bathroom," the blonde said before quickly exiting the room.

Ashley took a hit of the joint and blew out the smoke away from the brunette. "You want any, Lexa?" she offered.

"No thank you," she declined. "I don't really smoke."

Ashley continued to smoke her blunt as Lexa waited patiently for Clarke to return.

"Do you know if Clarke is gay?" Ashley asked, taking a puff of the spliff afterwards. "She seems gay but I can't read her."

"I have no idea what Clarke's sexuality is," Lexa lied.

"Damn," Ashley let out. She rested her elbow on the table, holding the blunt between thumb and index finger. "She's really hot."

"She's not single," Lexa said, her voice breaking.

Ashley didn't notice the way Lexa got defensive, she was too preoccupied thinking about getting with the blonde. "Let's be real," she laughed, "it's the entertainment business when has that ever stopped anyone?"

Lexa clenched her jaw in response, balling her hands into fists under the table. She didn't like the way Ashley was being degrading towards Clarke and justifying the notion of cheating on someone.

"Ashley," Lexa started, her voice cool and collected, something she had managed to control over the years of working in the industry. "If you want to make it in this industry I suggest you keep things like that to yourself."

Clarke returned at the perfect time, causing both girls to back down and smile at the blonde who approached them. "Did I miss anything?" she asked, taking her seat next to Lexa.

"No," Lexa said, her eyes looking at Ashley. "I was just about to ask Ashley if she'd like to play something for us."

"New or old?" Ashley asked, unsure of how much of her music either girl had heard.

"I've listened to your old stuff," Lexa responded. "I'd like to hear whatever you've done recently."

Clarke sat quietly and watched the two interact. She wasn't as educated on the artist like Lexa was.

"I have a new song I wrote last week that I was hoping we could get mixed today," Ashley offered. She took the last few hits of her joint and smashed it in a nearby ash tray.

"What do you have for it?" Lexa asked.

"Vocals and guitar," Ashley replied, holding up her guitar case. "I need a good beat. Either of you play the drums?" Her eyes shifted between the blonde and the brunette, focusing more on Clarke.

Clarke shook her head instantly. "Don't look at me I have no coordination," she admitted.

Ashley stretched out her arm over the table and placed her hand on Clarke's. "I can teach you," she offered with a smirk, "Some other time of course."

Lexa swallowed hard, gritting her teeth in response to Ashley's not-so-subtle flirting. She had to stay cool though, there was no possible way she could let her guard down in front of a potential client.

"Oh- I-" Clarke stumbled to speak."Someone's already tried," she admitted.

Ashley removed her hand almost as quickly as she had placed it. "Offer still stands," she smiled.

"I can play the drums," Lexa returned to the previous subject, wanting to turn the attention to anything but Ashley hitting on her girl.

"Great then let's do it," Ashley said. She stood up enthusiastically and walked towards the sound booth.

"Do you remember how to record on the mixer?" Lexa asked the blonde, walking her over towards the big soundboard in the control room.

"A little yeah," Clarke replied. "It's this one, right?"

Lexa nodded. "Just press that when we start recording and press it again when we're done."

"Got it," Clarke said, a smile forming on her face. She thought back to the last time she was in a recording studio with Lexa. She liked it when it was just the two of them.

Lexa left the blonde's side and joined Ashley in the sound booth. She sauntered over towards the drum set, and took a seat on the drum stool. She rolled up her sleeves slowly, making eye contact with Clarke who watched her from the other side of the glass. Ashley was too busy tuning her guitar to notice the obvious eye fucking happening between the two other girls.

The brunette tore her eyes away from Clarke's in order to test out the drum set. She grabbed two drumsticks and checked each drum and symbol individually.

"I'll play the the tun I have and just join in when you feel it," Ashley said, turning to Lexa.

Clarke sat back in the reclining chair in front of the mixer, happy to see Lexa on the drums.

Ashley started off the song with only the guitar playing. She tried to look at Clarke as she played, but she was focused on someone else.

Clarke didn't really care to look at Ashley, she was busy watching the way Lexa's eyes closed and body swayed side to side. She could tell she was feeling the music before getting into her own beat. It only took seconds for Lexa to start playing the drums, adding a nice beat to the rhythm Ashley had set.

Clarke bit her bottom lip, holding in a moan at the sight of Lexa drumming away. She didn't know how easily turned on she could get by it.

"I think that's good for now," Ashley said. She waited for Lexa to finish before giving her a thumbs up.

"Let's track your vocals," Lexa said, standing up from the stool.

She walked back to join Clarke in the control room, leaving Ashley alone to record the rest of the song.

"You lied to me," Clarke said as the brunette took the chair beside her.

Lexa turned to look at Clarke, confused by what she said. "How?"

"When we went to the studio in New York you said you barely knew how to play," Clarke said.

"I don't," Lexa shook her head.

"Lexa that was really good what are you talking about?"

"That was nothing," she shrugged.

Lexa turned her attention to the mixer and played around with some buttons before instructing Ashley to start singing.

"You should play the drums for me more often," Clarke suggested under her breath.

"I should?" Lexa asked, having heard Clarke's statement.

Clarke bit her lip, "It's hot."

* * *

The three spent an extra hour in the studio finishing the song and finalizing their discussion. As much as Lexa didn't like the way Ashley flirted with and made passes at Clarke, she had to accept that the singer would be a valuable asset to the label. She offered her a contract for two albums, both of which had to be completed and released in the span of two years. Ashley, not having anything else to compare the offer to, accepted immediately.

They said their goodbyes and Lexa promised to fly the young girl out to New York in the next week to get her started.

"I thought we were going to stay here longer," Clarke said to Lexa when the two were finally alone. They were walking side by side to the street parking where Lexa had left her car.

"We are," Lexa admitted. "What makes you think we aren't?"

"Well you said we'd be here for a couple days trying to sign Ashley," Clarke replied. "I thought we'd leave once we did."

Lexa sighed. "I made up my mind faster than I thought I would," she said.

They reached the red car and Lexa opened the passenger door again. The two were quiet as Lexa returned to the driver's seat and turned on the car.

Clarke noticed Lexa getting tense and she couldn't figure out what the cause could be. "Lex, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Clarke," Lexa replied.

Clarke turned to look at Lexa who had her jaw clenched and eyes focused on the road. She wasn't fine at all.

"Did I-" she started, "did I do something wrong?"

Lexa sighed, letting out a long breath. "You didn't do anything wrong," she reassured the blonde.

"Then why do you look like you're about to cuss me out?"

Lexa removed her hand from the gearshift and placed it on Clarke's thigh. "Did you not notice?" she asked, voice soft and sweet again. She didn't like making Clarke upset.

"Notice what?"

"The way Ashley was flirting with you," she let out. The words felt like vile in her mouth.

"Lexa," Clarke said followed by a laugh. "Are you jealous?"

Lexa removed her hand from Clarke's thigh and returned it back to it's original spot. She turned a shade of light red in response to Clarke's teasing.

"No, I just-" she stumbled with her words. "I just didn't like the way she was flirting with my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Clarke asked, surprised by the new term.

"That's what you are, right?" Lexa asked, mentally beating herself up for opening that can of worms.

Clarke's body, although protected by the seatbelt, was now facing the brunette, intrigued to see where the conversation would go. "I don't know, Lex, you tell me," she said, a smirk on her face.

Lexa couldn't deal with everything that was currently going on so she pulled over to a parking lot and parked her car. She turned to look at Clarke who had a smug look on her face.

She removed her sunglasses, looking Clarke right in the eyes. "I guess we never discussed where we stand, huh?" Lexa asked, nervously.

"No, we haven't," Clarke replied.

Lexa looked down and bit the inside of her cheek. She played with a small hole on the center console, avoiding the fact that she was next to speak.

"I want you to be my girlfriend," she finally said.

"Are you asking me to be?" Clarke asked. She would do whatever it took to get Lexa to communicate with her.

Lexa felt like ET, being coaxed by Clarke's Reese's Pieces just to get her out of her shell. She didn't mind it though, that's the only way she could ever open up nowadays.

"Will you be my girlfriend, Clarke?" she asked.

"Duh," Clarke said. She lunged forward, and kissed Lexa in the middle a grocery store parking lot.

 **So that happened. Anyone excited to meet Aden in the next chapter?**


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12: Discover Me, Discovering You_

What started off as a business trip quickly turned into the girls' first vacation together. It wasn't what either planned or expected, but given Lexa's quick decision to sign Ashley, the two were left with a couple days to themselves. Neither complained though, the free time was perfect for them to enjoy their new relationship status.

They spent the third day of the trip exploring, with Lexa showing Clarke around downtown Los Angeles. They shopped for the most part, Lexa spending a little too much money on the blonde who refused to accept anything she bought her, and ended their night with a movie at the LA Live.

Their fourth day was less chaotic, both preferring to stay in and relax before returning to the work mayhem in New York. Neither ever left the bed, except for the occasional bathroom breaks and once to answer the door when their Chinese food was delivered.

After multiple rounds of naps and sex, the two laid quietly with their bare bodies tangled between the sheets. Clarke was on her back, arm wrapped around her girlfriend's waist and holding her close. The brunette was still, one leg over the blonde's and her right arm flung across her stomach. Her head rested on Clarke's chest, listening to the beat of her heart as it slowed.

Lexa was, for the first time in over half a year, comfortable with such an intimate set up. For so long, she had wanted nothing more than to be touched again, to feel the soft, gentle fingers of another woman on her body. Lexa finally had that. She liked the closeness of her body on Clarke's, both tired and glistened in sweat from their previous activities.

"You've left me exhausted," Lexa admitted. She lifted her right hand up and brought it to Clarke's chest, tracing her fingers across the barely noticeable freckles.

"That was my intention all along," Clarke smirked. Lexa couldn't see it but she knew the blonde was making a face.

Lexa suddenly stopped tracing Clarke's skin. She took Clarke's free hand in hers and intertwined their fingers. She swung their hands lazily from side to side, watching the way they moved in unison. "We should sleep soon," she suggested. "We need to be up early for my surprise."

"Do we really have to go at 5 am though?" Clarke asked. She wondered what Lexa could have planned so damn early in the morning.

"Yes, now don't complain because I know you're going to enjoy it," Lexa promised.

"You know, no one has ever taken me on a date that early," Clarke admitted.

"Can't tell if that's a good thing or bad thing."

"It's good. It means I like you," Clarke promised.

"Oh yeah?"

"I'm not going to wake up at the crack of dawn for just _any_ girl," the blonde said.

Lexa lifted her head from the comfort of Clarke's chest and turned to look at her. "So i'm not just any girl?" she asked with a smirk, leaning forward slowly.

Clarke swallowed hard as Lexa drew closer and closer to her, until their faces were even. "No way" she said, her voice cracking. "You're way better."

Lexa was mere inches away from Clarke's lips when she suddenly pulled back and smirked. She was enjoying their new dynamic, loving the thrill and ease of teasing Clarke.

"Time to sleep," she said as she reclaimed her previous position, cuddling Clarke's side and resting her head on the blonde's chest again.

"No, no," Clarke complained. She let the hand that held Lexa trail down her side, lingering on the brunette's ass. "Don't play a game you know you're going to lose, Woods."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lexa said. She faked a yawn and nuzzled closer into the other girl, the space between them completely removed. "I'm just so sleepy."

Clarke removed her other hand from Lexa's hold and moved it to grab the other girl's chin, turning her face towards her. "If you're so tired maybe you should sleep," she smirked. "I can just take care of myself."

Lexa was a puddle. She couldn't keep it together and the thought alone of Clarke touching herself had her squirming. "Now that you mention it, I could go for one more round," she said as she sat up. She climbed onto Clarke's leg and pushed her center onto the soft skin of the blonde's thigh.

"Someone's turned on," Clarke stated the obvious. She could feel how wet the brunette was against her skin. "I thought you were exhausted," she mocked.

"I had a sudden boost of energy," Lexa said, her voice trailing as she kissed the blonde. She took Clarke's bottom lip between hers and sucked it, causing the blonde to jerk up.

Lexa continued to tease Clarke, her fingers dancing over the blonde's slit as she slowly grinded on her thigh. With just the touch alone, Lexa could feel how wet the girl underneath her was.

"Don't tease, Lex," Clarke pleaded. She had already dealt with enough of Lexa's teasing and all she wanted was the girl to get her off one more time.

Clarke placed her hands on Lexa's waist, caressing the smoothness of her tanned skin. She let her hands roam, exploring the sides she had already gotten used to touching. Her hands eventually found comfort on Lexa's ass, grabbing it and aiding the brunette as she set a small tempo with her thrusts.

"This feels so good," Lexa let out.

Lexa was already nearing an orgasm, and as much as she wanted to continue teasing Clarke, she didn't think she could take anymore teasing on herself. So she pushed her fingers past Clarke's slit and curled them as they got deeper. Her thumb drew light circles around her clit, working it to Clarke's reaction.

"Oh fuck," Clarke nearly screamed in response. She wasn't expecting Lexa to go inside her without warning. "Right there," she pleaded.

Lexa already knew just how to get Clarke off, and they hadn't even been sexually active for more than three days. She pushed deeper into Clarke, grinding harder into her girlfriend's thigh with each stroke.

Clarke's hips rose with every pump, meeting Lexa's rhythm. That alone had the brunette thrusting harder and faster, closing her eyes to concentrate on her pending orgasm.

Lexa leaned down, capturing Clarke's lips in hers again, building the intensity of the kiss until the blonde's tongue pressed against hers. There was no cuteness to their embrace, but neither girl cared. They were too wrapped up in their own pleasures to care.

"Mm," Clarke let out a long moan. "Fuck, Lex," she mumbled into the brunette's lips.

Lexa could feel Clarke's walls tightening around her two fingers as she fucked her.

"Don't stop, Lex," Clarke begged, "I'm so close."

"I'm gonna come," the brunette announced almost in unison.

Clarke reached orgasm first, her back arching in response to the pleasure that Lexa had provided her. With the feeling of Clarke's orgasm at her fingertips, Lexa could only keep her pace for a few seconds before joining her girlfriend and coming with a whimper of Clarke's name.

Lexa toppled over in defeat, her body almost lifeless on top of the sheets. Her right arm sprawled out over Clarke's chest, a deadweight that the blonde didn't seem to mind. Both were too busy trying to catch their breaths as they stared up to the ceiling.

"Damn, Raven really owes me," Clarke said, still out of breath.

"Owes you what?"

"That stupid bet we made months ago," Clarke said.

"Am I getting a cut of the deal?" Lexa asked with a small smile. "I contributed to your win."

"Knowing Raven, i'm never going to see that money," Clarke laughed.

The two fell into a comfortable silence again, exhausted from their productive day.

Lexa laid quietly thinking about sex with Clarke. She was still scared to go down on her girlfriend, a line of intimacy she didn't feel too ready to cross. She was happy though, knowing Clarke was willing to give her the time and space she needed.

"I know i'm not ready to be as intimate as you want us to be but I want you to know I enjoy doing this with you," Lexa said as she turned her head to face the blonde.

Clarke was completely knocked out. Her position remained the same, but her mouth was slightly open, letting her breathe.

Lexa smiled to herself at the sight of the sleeping girl next to her. She didn't bother waking her, instead she reached for the covers and brought them up to cover both their bodies. She kissed the top of the blonde's head before settling in her side of the bed.

* * *

At exactly 4 o'clock in the morning, Lexa's phone alarm went off, waking both the brunette and her sleepy girlfriend. Lexa hadn't slept much prior to the alarm, she was too excited for what she had planned for Clarke.

"You have got to be kidding me," Clarke mumbled as she threw her pillow over her head, drowning out the sound of Lexa's ringtone.

"Come on, Clarke," Lexa said with excitement, "we've got to get going."

Clarke spoke something under the pillow but it was too muffled for Lexa to understand. Before the blonde knew it, her girlfriend was up and walking around, collecting her clothes.

"She'll be the death of me," Clarke said lowly to herself as she watched the naked girl exit the room.

Getting up in the wee hours of the morning wasn't something Clarke really enjoyed, but she sucked it up because Lexa made plans for them and she'd do whatever the brunette wanted her to.

It took Clarke a couple of minutes to rise, but she eventually found the willpower to do it. She moved slowly over to her suitcase and pulled out her favorite black sweatpants and a long-sleeve plain white tee.

She searched for a comfortable sweater to wear on top, but came up empty. The weather in California didn't compare to New York's viciously cold mornings, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be at least chilly.

"Babe, do you have a sweater I can borrow?" Clarke called out from her room as she continued to search through her suitcase.

Lexa reentered the room minutes later with a hoodie in hand and her car keys in the other. "Did you just call me babe?" she asked as she passed the MWU hoodie to her now blushing girlfriend.

"I did, yeah," Clarke replied. She slipped the hoodie on and brought the top over her head.

"That's all Costia used to call me," Lexa admitted.

Clarke couldn't make out Lexa's expression. She couldn't tell if the other girl was pleased with the pet name or upset that she'd referred to her by the same name her ex did.

"It just slipped i'm sorry I-" Clarke began, trying to find an excuse.

"No, don't apologize. I like the way it sounds when you say it," Lexa smiled.

Clarke stepped in and closed the gap between them, leaning in slightly to plant her lips on her girlfriend's.

"Okay, okay," Lexa said as she pulled back from their kiss. "We should leave now."

Clarke had absolutely no idea where they were headed, she just followed the brunette to out of the room and towards the parking garage. They walked slower than usual, Lexa trying to speed up Clarke's pace as they neared the car.

"Where are we going?" Clarke asked. She let Lexa open and hold the passenger door open for her as she took a seat.

"Not telling," Lexa said as she closed the door behind her girlfriend. She made a quick half-lap around the car and sat down in the driver's seat.

"What about a hint?" Clarke tried.

Lexa shook her head and smiled. "Patience, Clarke, patience," she repeated.

The brunette started the car and let the engine run for a few minutes, allowing the car to warm up. She distracted herself by toying with the car radio, searching for a good station to listen to.

"Wait, go back," Clarke pleaded when Lexa turned the station from a song she liked. "You can't change John Mayer," she said.

"I didn't know you were a fan," Lexa replied, changing the station back to where Clarke wanted it.

"He's like a guilty pleasure," Clarke admitted.

"I don't mind him," Lexa said honestly.

" _Your body is a wonderland_ ," Clarke sang along to the chorus, smiling at Lexa in the process causing her to blush.

Lexa watched as Clarke swayed from side to side to the beat of the song, letting it slowly sooth her into sleep. She was out in seconds, her head resting against the passenger window.

The brunette used that time to back out of her parking spot and make the relatively short drive to her surprise destination.

With a sleeping blonde in her passenger seat, Lexa drove quietly, the faint music keeping her awake. She thought about how good her trip with Clarke had turned out, despite having to deal with a flirty young girl who had the hots for her girlfriend.

She didn't want to come off as jealous in any way, specially not after her jealousy with Costia added to the reasons why the other girl cheated on her, but she couldn't help the way it made her feel. She hated Costia for that, for making her so insecure and for damaging the way she ever deal with someone who was hitting on her partner.

Lexa was, even in her drunken years, a devoted girlfriend. If she learned anything from her parents before they passed it was that love is not weakness. She was taught to be a strong partner, respectful, to never cheat, and to love her partner unconditionally. Sure neither of those things stuck in high school, because those are the figure-it-out years, but as soon as she fell for her first college girlfriend, she was loyal.

No other partner came close to hurting her the way Costia did. She took a part of Lexa away from her that she'll never get back, no matter who she's with. And now, sweet and caring Clarke Griffin was trying to pick up the pieces that she'd left behind. Lexa admired it. She'd sworn up and down that she'd never let someone in again, not for years at least. She wanted, no, needed the space to heal and learn to be independent again.

But that all changed when she met Clarke. She was attracted from the start - those blue eyes, the cute laugh, the way her tiny mole above the left of her lip gives her more elegant look, her humor. The list went on and on in Lexa's head as she laid in bed that night after they met. She knew after that first meeting that she'd been wrong about not being with anyone again. She left that night knowing she wanted Clarke in many ways than just physically.

She also knew she was a hopeless romantic, Anya never let her live it down. So while it scared her at first to feel something, _anything_ towards another woman again, she desperately wanted it to be real. She wanted Clarke to want her just as much as she did. And as reserved as Lexa could be, she wanted Clarke to be her perfect balance.

"Are we here?" Clarke asked, eyes still closed as her head rested on the window.

Lexa had been too deep into thought to remember to wake Clarke up. She had parked the car minutes ago and she sat there, both hands on the wheel, eyes staring out into the darkness.

"We're here," Lexa admitted. She shut the engine off and turned to look at Clarke who was slowly waking.

Lexa knew they wouldn't get anywhere if they just sat in the car. She grabbed a blanket from the backseat of her car and stepped out, running around to open Clarke's door. "Let's go," she said, placing her hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"Where are we?" Clarke asked, feeling a breeze hit them as she stepped out of the car.

Lexa closed the passenger door behind the blonde. "The beach," she informed her.

"Lex, it's like 40 degrees why would we go to the beach?" she grumbled.

Lexa reached out for Clarke's hand, intertwining their fingers when the blonde extended hers out. "So we can watch the sunrise before we leave for New York."

Clarke was suddenly more awake. "Shit, that's really romantic," she said with a smile.

The brunette led them down to the bottom of the parking lot, using her phone flashlight to guide their way over to a break in the fence. She made them take off their shoes as they neared the sand.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Clarke admitted. She placed her shoes in her free hand and grabbed Lexa's with the other.

"I remember you mentioning your love for astronomy and I was hoping maybe you could tell me what you know about the sky," Lexa said, her eyes focused on their path. "Since I never really made it to astronomy class."

"You're something else, Woods," Clarke said. Lexa couldn't see it because her eyes were focused on the path ahead of them, but Clarke was smiling from ear to ear, the excitement almost eating at her face.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Both enjoying the way the sand felt against their bare feet. Clarke couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't believe her girlfriend had brought her to watch a sunrise.

Clarke liked seeing Lexa's romantic side. She had a hunch from early on that Lexa would be that way.

"This should be good," Lexa said. They stopped in the middle of the shore, far enough from the water as possible but not too close to the parking lot.

Lexa laid out a large blanket over the sand, fixing each corner in order to get the most use of it. She took a seat in the middle of it and extended a hand out for Clarke to take, helping her sit down next to her.

"Thank you," Clarke said with a small kiss to Lexa's cheek.

"The sun should be rising soon," Lexa informed the blonde.

Clarke stretched out her arm behind Lexa and draped it over her shoulder. "This is really romantic, Lex," she said, leaning her head onto her girlfriend's shoulder. "No one has ever done this for me," she admitted.

"I'm happy you liked it."

"So is this how you win over the ladies?" Clarke asked jokingly, lightly nudging the brunette with her hips. "By being charming and romantic?"

"I'm not that romantic I just wanted to do something special for you," Lexa said.

"That in itself is romantic," Clarke replied.

Lexa turned to look at Clarke whose face she could barely make out. "Thank you for being so supportive and such a good listener," she said before leaning in and kissing the blonde.

Clarke was a little caught off guard by Lexa's lips on hers but she kissed back anyway. Her free hand moved onto Lexa's hip, sliding up and under the hem of her shirt. "I'm a little horny again," she admitted, biting her bottom lip as she pulls back from their embrace.

"You're going to miss the sunrise," Lexa laughed.

"I can't help it," Clarke said, "kissing you makes me feel things."

"Keep it in your pants," Lexa joked, "at least for now."

* * *

Halfway into the sunrise, both girls laid back with Lexa on her side and Clarke on her back. Lexa eyes flickered from the sunrising over the horizon, to Clarke's face, noticing the way the light made her skin glow.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked, noticing the way the blonde zoned off.

"I'm just thinking about my dad," Clarke said.

Lexa shifted closer to the blonde. "Is something wrong?" she asked. She lifted her arm up and ran the back of her fingers against Clarke's cheek.

"The only time I ever saw a sunrise was with my dad when I was young," Clarke admitted. "It was the same year he died."

"You lost your dad too?" Lexa asked, surprised that the other girl hadn't told her this before.

Clarke nodded. "He had a heart attack in his sleep," she explained.

"I'm so sorry," Lexa said.

"It's okay I was seven and I don't really remember much," Clarke admitted.

"Do you miss him?"

"Sometimes I remember little things like these and I miss him but I accepted the loss years ago."

"How do you do it?" Lexa asked, her hand moving down to caress Clarke's arm, the way she likes to do.

Clarke looked up at her, confused. "Do what?"

"I'm so sensitive to my loss and Costia. You've suffered just like me and yet you seem much stronger."

"I was very little when my dad died and, in a way, it made it easier for me to deal with it," Clarke said. "And, well, Finn was easy to move on from once I realized I could be with someone better."

"It doesn't bother you still? What he did?" Lexa asked.

"Sometimes it does but I think I found that better someone," Clarke smiled.

"Clarke?" Lexa asked, eyes looking directly at the blonde. She waited to speak again until the blue eyes were looking her way. "I haven't been this happy in a long time," she admitted, "before you I was focusing all my energy on work and I never thought about being with someone new."

"You've ben through so much, I get why you closed off and turned to work," Clarke said. "But you have me now and i'm not going to hurt you the way Costia did, okay?"

"I won't hurt you the way Finn did," Lexa promised.

Clarke sits up just enough to bring her lips onto Lexa's, placing a sweet, chaste kiss on the brunette's.

"I wish we didn't have to go back," she admitted when she pulled back. "These last few days have been so perfect."

"Unfortunately, duty calls," Lexa frowned. "People need us back in New York."

"Speaking of which," Clarke said. She sat up into a sitting position and turned her body to face Lexa. "There's something I wanted to ask you."

"Uh, oh. What is it?"

"You don't mind if I tell my friends about us, right?" Clarke asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Don't they know already? We weren't exactly subtle on New Year's."

"I meant about us being together together," Clarke blushed. "You know since you're my girlfriend now."

"I texted Anya after it happened," Lexa shrugged.

"So it's okay?" Clarke asked, seeking her approval.

"Yes, Clarke, tell your friends," Lexa laughed.

"What about at work are we-" Clarke began but was suddenly interrupted.

"I- I don't think that's a good idea," Lexa interjected. "I told Anya because she's my best friend and she would kill me if I ever withheld that information. I'm not quite sure i'm ready for my employees to know about us."

"I understand," Clarke said. She was a little disappointed that Lexa wasn't okay with them fully being out as a couple. She didn't want to hide her relationship but she understood where Lexa was coming from.

"Hey, listen," Lexa began, taking Clarke's hand in hers. "I've always been a pretty private person when it comes to who I date, then Costia cheated on me with one of my artists and suddenly everyone knew everything about my personal life."

"You don't have to explain, babe," Clarke smiled and leaned forward, her face level with Lexa's. "In fact, we don't really have to talk at all right now."

Clarke pushed Lexa down onto the blanket and climbed over her, straddling her waist. She didn't want Lexa to worry about anything anymore, at least not for now. The sunrise could wait, the conversation about the employees could wait. All Clarke wanted, needed and longed for in that moment was Lexa's touch.

"You really are horny, huh?" Lexa asked. Clarke was nibbling at her ear as her hips gently grinded into her.

"Ever had sex on the beach before?" Clarke asked, her lips trailing from Lexa's ear down to her neck.

Lexa let out a high-pitched moan as Clarke sucked lightly on her pulse point. "No," she barely let out.

"Me neither," Clarke said. She sat up, smirking at her girlfriend who watched her as she removed the hoodie and shirt in one sudden movement. Lexa's hands shot up to grab Clarke by the waist, holding her steady as the shirts came off. "Let's make it a first," she said, her husky voice ringing in Lexa's ear.


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13: Meet the Brother_

"Are you nervous?" Lexa asked, fingers wrapping tighter around her girlfriend's as they walked though the crowded JFK airport. They wove in and out of the crowd, making their way over to baggage claim where they were to meet Aden.

Clarke could tell the other girl was anxious, it was clear in the way she squeezed her hand for reassurance and bit down on her bottom lip as her green eyes looked straight ahead. In a way, she liked how Lexa would get when she needed her. She knew it was still hard for her to talk sometimes, so she'd settle with small actions that Clarke would easily pick up on. The subtle tug of her hand, the look in her eyes when she wanted to say something but didn't, the way she'd bite her lower lip and avoid eye contact - Clarke already figured them all out.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Clarke asked, a soft smile spreading on her lips as she looked up at the brunette.

"I am, maybe just a little," Lexa admitted. She pulled Clarke towards her as they walked, wanting the blonde as close to her as possible.

"There is nothing to be nervous about, Lex," the blonde reassured her, "your brother and I are going to get along great."

"It's not that," Lexa said, fixing her eyes on two empty seats ahead of her. "Here, let's sit," she suggested, pointing to the chairs.

"What's troubling you then?" Clarke asked as they sat down.

Lexa had been nervous all week. She was, at first, pretty eager to have her girlfriend meet her younger brother but as time got closer she started to second guess the idea. The only one of her exes who had ever met Aden was Costia, and that was only two years into the relationship because Costia insisted on coming with her to North Carolina.

Lexa considered the time she spent with Aden to be valuable and didn't want anyone else impeding on the little they had together. But things were different when it came to Clarke. The blonde never forced herself into Lexa's plans with her brother, she never begged to meet him, just a small suggestion that she'd like to "one day". That alone made Lexa feel better about the decision.

"It's just a really hard week for Aden and I," Lexa sighed. "I don't want him to be upset that I brought you with me."

"You know I don't have to stay, right?" Clarke said, giving her girlfriend's hand a small squeeze. "You can drop me off after he gets here. I'll completely understand."

"I don't want to drop you off," Lexa said, shaking her head. "I already have plans for the three of us. Plus, I kind of... I _really_ need you right now," she said quietly.

Clarke lifted her free hand and put the brunette's chin between her thumb and finger. "Well, I'm not going anywhere if you don't want me to," Clarke promised, looking into Lexa's eyes.

"I'm just freaking out over nothing," Lexa laughed nervously. She flashed her girlfriend a soft, reassuring smile.

"Let's just see how he reacts, okay? If he seems uncomfortable I'll leave you two alone," Clarke suggested.

"Fair enough," Lexa nodded. She didn't want to be apart from Clarke right now, specially since they'd be in different cities for the next couple days.

"What else is bothering you, babe?" Clarke asked, noting that Lexa was still visibly upset.

"The 18th is two days away," Lexa stated. She looked down and stared at their intertwined hands. "I don't know how i'm going to be able to stay strong for Aden while we're in Syracuse. There's too many memories."

"Don't be afraid to cry if you have to. Your brother will understand," Clarke said.

Lexa sighed, "he was so little when it happened, Clarke, I'm the only one who has to relive the memories when we go back."

"Try and make new memories then, ones that won't make you sad when you go," Clarke suggested.

"I just really miss them," Lexa said. Her voice was low, shaky as she tried to fight off tears.

"Come here," Clarke said, leaning forward in her seat and pulling Lexa in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and held her tight. Lexa hugged her back, not wanting to let go of her girlfriend's comfort.

"Sometimes when I look at Aden I see them," Lexa choked out between sobs. She didn't want to be the person that cried in public, she hated it, but things always made her so emotional during this time. "He looks just like my father and he has my mom's smile."

"Everything is going to be alright, Lex," Clarke said, running a hand up and down Lexa's back, soothing her. "You can call me when you start feeling like you need someone, okay?"

Lexa nodded, pulling away from their embrace. "I'm sorry," she said as she wiped away her tears and straightened up in her seat, "I didn't mean to cry."

"Don't apologize for your feelings. I just want you to know you're not alone in this, i'm here," Clarke promised. She leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips onto Lexa's.

"Thank you," Lexa said into the kiss. She pulled back and gave Clarke the smile that was reserved just for her.

As the two shared their moment, a skinny, sandy blonde haired boy appeared through a set of sliding doors with a blue backpack around his shoulders and dragging a black suitcase behind him. He walked behind a group of people, blue eyes searching for his older sister. He let out a sigh of relief when he spotted the brunette sitting by a blonde woman.

"Lexa!" He yelled with excitement when as he approached her.

His sister, completely caught off guard, jumped at the call and turned immediately to see him half-sprinting towards her. "Hi little brother," she said with a smile as she stood up from her seat and walked towards him.

"Heya sis," Aden said, throwing an arm around the brunette's waist and hugging her tight.

"Did you have a safe flight?" Lexa asked, hugging her brother back.

"It got a little bumpy," he said with a shrug as he pulled back. "But they were showing _The Minions_ movie."

"Your favorite," Lexa smiled. She looked at her brother and sighed, content to know he had gotten there safely. "Hey bud, there's someone I want you to meet," she said, nervously turning her head to make sure Clarke was still behind her.

Aden, picking up on his sister's actions, leaned sideways and looked behind the brunette. He saw the blonde girl who Lexa had been talking to when he first spotted her. "Who is she?" He asked.

"Well, uh, she's my- um-" Lexa stumbled on her words. "She's my girlfriend."

Lexa wasn't worried about telling her brother anything when it came to dating girls. He'd known from a very young age that his sister was gay, and she made sure to always educate him about accepting people's sexuality. There was a lot he didn't understand yet, but the boy was respectful, no matter who he encountered.

"Is she nice to you?" He asked, putting on a slightly defensive front.

Lexa laughed at her brother's attempt at being protective. "Extremely nice, I promise," she said, "come on, i'll introduce you."

The brunette wrapped her arm around his neck and walked him over to where Clarke was sitting. "Clarke," she said, trying to get her girlfriend's attention. "This is my little brother, Aden."

"Nice to meet you, Aden," she said with a small wave.

"Aden, this my girlfriend Clarke," Lexa said, pointing at the blonde.

"Hi," he said shyly. Lexa gave him a small hip check and he cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you too," he added.

To the average eye, Aden and Lexa looked almost nothing alike, in fact Aden's lighter hair and blue eyes made him look more like he'd be Clarke's little brother than Lexa's. But the more Clarke looked between the young boy and her girlfriend, the more she could find the striking similarities. They had similar bone structures and their personalities were very much the same.

"Are you hungry?" Lexa asked, taking the backpack off Aden's shoulders and throwing over her own.

"Not really I ate a little on the flight," he admitted.

Lexa went to take the suitcase from his hands but the blonde had already stood up and made an attempt to grab it instead. "I can take it," she said.

"Are you sure?" Lexa asked.

"I want to help," Clarke said with a smile before taking the suitcase.

Aden smiled up at both girls, happy to not have to carry a single thing on their walk to the car.

Lexa rewrapped her arm around her brother's neck and took Clarke's hand with the other. The three began to walk side-by-side towards the airport exit.

"How's track going?" The brunette asked, knowing the best way to get her brother talking would be to bring up sports.

"I'm the fastest 400 meter runner this year," Aden began. "We have a relay next month and they're going to let me compete."

"Woah, that's awesome," Clarke said. She didn't want to interrupt the sibling discussion but she didn't want Lexa thinking she wasn't interested either.

"You should see how fast this kid runs," Lexa said, turning to look at Clarke. "We go running a lot when I visit him and he kicks my butt."

"I've only gotten faster sis," he smirked.

"Oh brother," Lexa jokingly rolled her eyes. "Maybe Clarke will race you this time."

Clarke turned her head and gave the brunette a questioning look. "I can't run," she shook her head. "Exercising is not my thing," she added.

"Then I guess you're not going to like what I have planned for us today," Lexa nudged her.

"Please don't tell me it involves running," Clarke fake pouted.

"Guess you'll have to wait to find out," Lexa shrugged.

When they reached the Mustang, Clarke eagerly helped Lexa load the trunk with Aden's things, while the young boy darted off to take the front seat.

"Thank you for helping," Lexa said, placing a gentle kiss on the blonde's cheek after closing the trunk.

"You owe me," Clarke winked.

They shared a quick kiss before walking around the sides of the car to get in.

Lexa didn't notice her brother sitting in the front until she sat down in the driver's seat and reached out for Clarke's hand, finding the boy instead. She retracted her hands as soon as she realized it wasn't her girlfriend next to her.

"Aden," she said with a parental tone, "that's Clarke's seat."

"Come on, sis," he pouted.

"Let him keep shotgun," Clarke said after opening the door to the back seat and slipping in. "I'm a pro back seat driver," she winked jokingly at Aden.

"Please, Lexa?" The blonde boy lowered his blue eyes and frowned.

"Fine," Lexa said, putting on her seatbelt.

"Yes!" Aden exclaimed, raising a clenched fist in the air in celebration.

"Lex, what's with the basketballs?" Clarke asked. She stared down at the pile of three basketballs on the floor behind Lexa's seat.

"You'll see," the brunette smirked.

Lexa let Aden play with the car radio and pick whatever music he wanted to hear, as long as it was kid friendly. She lowered the volume down to a normal level so they could converse.

"So, Aden, Lexa tells me you like to draw," Clarke began, leaning forward in her seat to look at the boy. "Art is kind of my thing too," she told him.

"I'm not very good I just like painting," he shrugged.

"You don't have to be modest, Ady, tell her about the competition you won," Lexa said, glancing at her brother and giving him a supportive grin.

Aden blushed, feeling a little embarrassed by his older sister. "It was just some competition," he said, his voice low. "I got first place."

Clarke noticed the way Aden's shyness mimicked the way his sister would often get reserved. They had almost the same tellings.

"That's so cool," Clarke said. "I want to hear all about it."

Lexa smiled to herself, happy to see her brother and girlfriend interact so well. She had been worried at first, not just about letting the blonde meet her little brother, but scared they wouldn't hit it off. That had been a problem with Costia from the second she met Aden.

Clarke was everything Costia wasn't. Her ex was colder, less inviting than the blue eyed girl and she made no effort to get to know anyone Lexa cared about. At first Lexa thought it was admirable that Costia was so fixated on her, but over time the lack of respect for others drove a wedge in their relationship.

Something about Clarke's energy and fun-to-be-around personality made her easy to interact with. Clarke showed interest in anything Lexa would say, even the boring business rants. So it came as no surprise to the brunette that her girlfriend was giving her little brother the same undivided attention she usually gets.

Lexa snuck glances at them while Aden told his story. Clarke seemed super invested in what he had to say, nodding at all the right times.

"You must be proud, Lexa," Clarke said, bringing the brunette back from her thoughts.

"Extremely proud," Lexa replied, stretching out her right arm and ruffling Aden's hair. She kept her left hand wrapped around the steering wheel, eyes shifting from the road to her little brother.

"Lexa, stop," Aden complained, pulling his sister's hand off of his head. "I'm not a baby."

"Right, my bad," she laughed. She looked at Clarke through the rearview mirror and jokingly stuck out her tongue at her.

Clarke's smile grew wide at Lexa's goofy gesture. "Eyes on the road," she mouthed back, causing the brunette to roll her eyes.

"You really are a back seat driver," Lexa joked.

"What's a back seat driver?" Aden asked, unsure of what the two girls were talking about.

"Someone like Clarke, who likes to comment on someone else's driving when they're not actually driving," Lexa explained, receiving a mean mug from her girlfriend.

"I'm just trying to keep your attention on the road," Clarke shrugged.

"I agree with Clarke, sis, eyes on the road," Aden said. He turned his body to look at Clarke, sticking out his fist for the other girl to bump.

"The boy's on my side," Clarke pointed out, fist bumping Aden in the process.

Lexa couldn't resist the smile that tugged at her lips in response. She was happy to see the two hitting it off so well.

"I like you more than Costia," Aden stated, looking directly at Clarke who blushed at the comment.

"Me too," Lexa replied, flashing Clarke her smile.

* * *

"We're here!" Aden exclaimed when he noticed Lexa pulling up to the familiar park.

Clarke followed the blonde boy's gaze and shook her head. She stared at the fenced-off basketball court in the center of the park. "You've got to be kidding me," she joked. "You would bring me to play basketball."

"Aden and I play basketball at least once when I see him," Lexa said. She shut the engine off and turned to look at Clarke. "The Woods siblings _love_ basketball," she added.

"I told you I have absolutely no hand-eye coordination I'm going to embarrass myself," Clarke admitted.

"You have nothing to fear, Clarke, my sister is the best," Aden claimed proudly, "she'll teach you."

"She seems to be doing that a lot lately," the blonde muttered under her breath as she picked up one of the basketballs and passed it to Aden.

"Looks like we have the court to ourselves," Lexa pointed out before exiting the car. She opened the door to the back seat, allowing Clarke to exit.

"Here," Clarke said. She stepped out of the car and handed her girlfriend one of the balls. Lexa leaned around her and took out a bag full of water and face towels for them to have. She closed the door behind Clarke as soon as they had gotten everything they needed.

The three started off towards the basketball court with Aden leading the way. Lexa walked next to Clarke, their hands brushing as they walked but neither committing to holding hands. They didn't want to make things weird for the young boy.

Clarke looked around at the park and its surroundings, noting that it was all too familiar. It suddenly hit her that she was back in the area of Queens where she spent a lot of her early years.

"I grew up a few miles from here," the blonde admitted to Lexa as they neared the court. "Do you come here a lot?"

"I used to drive out here to play when I was in college and now I bring Aden every time he visits," Lexa answered. "It's on the way from the airport."

"I hope you don't intend for us to play an actual game," Clarke said. She looked down at her outfit and then at Lexa's."You didn't tell me to dress for sports."

Clarke was dressed in jeans and a boyfriend tee while Lexa wore her favorite black jeans with a light blue button up shirt. Both weren't dressed for much physical activity, although Lexa could probably play in anything.

"We can just shoot around," Lexa offered. "Aden and I will probably go one-on-one at some point though."

Aden was the first to enter the court, running straight towards the closest hoop. Clarke and Lexa followed behind, dropping of their belongings on the bench before joining the young boy by the basket.

"Alright Clarke, show me what you got," Lexa said as she crouched into a defensive position in front of the blonde. She had one arm in front of her, legs spread out to keep her girlfriend from the net.

Clarke dribbled the ball in front of her, unsure of what to do next. "I'm really bad at this," Clarke stated.

"Just dribble past me," Lexa said, stepping closer to the blonde.

Clarke looked at her girlfriend then to the hoop that was behind her. She debated what to do next but before she could make a move, Lexa was swatting the ball away from her hands.

"That's not fair!" Clarke complained. "I didn't even get to try."

"You have to be quick," Lexa said.

"Let me show you how," Aden offered. He took Clarke's place, dribbling the ball in front of Lexa whose green eyes were focus on the boy's hips. He hesitated on the first attempt but quickly turned on his side and drove towards the net. His hips moved with such rhythm that he made beating Lexa look easy.

"Wow, i'm getting rusty," Lexa said after her brother zoomed past her and shot the ball into the basket.

"I think i'll stick to just shooting," Clarke said, completely intimidated by what she just saw.

She walked over to the free throw line and bounced the ball a couple times. She tried to channel the NBA players she'd occasionally watch as she launched the ball towards the net, failing to reach the basket.

"Clarke, you're no good at this," Lexa said, laughing as the girl airballed.

"It's all in the wrist," Aden advised, demonstrating exactly how to do it.

"It's not fair you guys actually play," Clarke sighed.

"You just need practice, Clarke," Aden added. He dribbled around her then ran off to the opposite hoop to shoot on his own.

"I can show you," Lexa said, rolling up her sleeves as she made her way to the free throw line. She clapped for the ball and Clarke tossed it to her. She bounced it a few times before shooting, her form almost impeccable. The ball hit the backboard and fell in through the net.

She chased after the ball then passed it to back to Clarke who was still confused. "I got nothing from that," she admitted. "Except that my girlfriend's a show off."

Lexa laughed. "Come here," she said, waving the blonde over.

Clarke reluctantly walked over to Lexa, standing in the same spot the brunette had last shot from.

Lexa put her hands on the blonde's waist, facing her towards the hoop. Her right foot slipped between her legs, pushing her feet apart just enough to where they were square with her shoulders.

She stepped into Clarke, her front pressed up against her back. Her arms wrapped around the other girl, placing her hands atop Clarke's. "You need to relax your arms, babe," Lexa demanded.

With a fully relaxed Clarke, Lexa positioned her arms at an angle to show her the form.

"You like what you feel?" Clarke asked, feeling Lexa press harder into her.

Lexa nuzzled her head into the crook of Clarke's neck, stifling a laugh. "Maybe this was a bad idea," she said, pulling back.

"No, come back," Clarke cried, missing the warmth of Lexa's body against her.

The brunette stepped back and stood beside Clarke, imitating her stance. "Bend your knees and then shoot," she told her, slowly demonstrating how to do it.

Clarke watched attentively, not wanting to miss a single thing. After Lexa finished, she repeated the steps in her head then shot the ball with a swift flick of the wrist.

"Nice!" Aden said, running back to their side of the court. "You got it, Clarke!"

"She shoots," Clarke began, turning to look at Lexa. "She scores," she winked at her girlfriend.

* * *

"So bud, how's school going?" Lexa asked. She was slightly out of breath from the two rounds of one-on-one between her and Aden.

Lexa sat on the bench with Clarke, their bodies close to one another despite how hot they were. The blonde leaned her back against the fence while her hand rested on the small of Lexa's back, lightly caressing her. Aden stood in front of them, bouncing the ball and doing tricks.

"Sucks," Aden said, dribbling the ball between his legs.

"Hey now, we talked about using that word," Lexa scolded, giving the young boy a stern look.

"I'm sorry, Lexa," Aden said with an apologetic smile.

"What's wrong with school?" She asked.

"I don't want to be there anymore," Aden shrugged. He kept his attention fixed on bouncing the ball.

"I thought you liked it there?" Lexa questioned. "You're not happy?"

"I don't fit in well," he said lowly. He went to leave to continue shooting baskets but his sister stopped him in his tracks.

"Aden, come here," she demanded, "what's going on?"

Clarke sat quietly, not trying to get in the middle of the conversation. She gave Lexa a reassuring pat on the back, not bothering to move her hand.

"I want to go to school here."

"In New York?"

"I don't want to be in North Carolina anymore" he sighed. Knowing fully well that his sister wouldn't drop the conversation, the young boy put the basketball down at his feet and sat down on top of it, balancing himself.

"Ady," Lexa said, her face turning into a frown. "You know you can't move here with me."

"I won't bother you I promise," Aden said.

"It's not about that, bud, you don't bother me. I just can't assume that responsibility," Lexa said, searching for the best way to explain the situation.

"I don't see you enough," Aden protested.

"If you moved here you would have to make new friends and start all over," Lexa began. "I can try and visit you more, kiddo."

Aden frowned, unhappy with the course of the conversation. "Please, Lexa," he pleaded. "I miss you."

It hurt the brunette to hear those three words, specially from her brother. They needed each other more than anyone else.

Lexa sighed, "I'll think about it, Aden," she said. It wasn't a promise but it wasn't a lie.

Clarke sensed her girlfriend needed some help in diffusing the situation so she stood up and clapped her hands. "Anyone up for a game of horse?" she asked.

"Oh, me!" Aden yelled with excitement, momentarily forgetting about his conversation with Lexa.

"I'll sit this one out," Lexa said, offering Clarke her half-smile.

"Are you sure babe?" Clarke asked. She stepped forward, offering her girlfriend a hand.

"You two play," Lexa sighed. "I need to think about some things."

Clarke didn't push it. She let the brunette do her thing while she ran over to where Aden was preparing for their game of horse.

* * *

"I'm sorry you lost at horse," Aden said from the back seat. He had a devilish grin on his face as he looked at Clarke.

"You two are impossible to beat," Clarke rolled her eyes. "But i'll practice with Lexa so next time I can be better," she added.

The brunette turned to look at her girlfriend at the mention of her name. She had been quiet the entire ride back to NYC, eyes focused on the road while her mind drifted off in a million directions. Clarke could tell something was wrong, but she didn't try to pry while she was driving.

Lexa pulled the car up to the side of Clarke's apartment building, shutting off the engine and putting on the hazard lights. "I'm going to walk Clarke," she informed her brother, "stay in the car, please."

"Does she really have to go?" Aden asked, his blue eyes drooping in response.

"Sorry, Aden, I have work in the morning and you guys are going out of town," Clarke replied. She turned in her seat, looking at the devastated young boy. "Next time you're here we can paint together," she offered.

"Promise?" He asked, extending his arm towards her and sticking out his pinky finger.

"Promise, kiddo," she said. Her pinky finger wrapped around his as they shook in agreement.

The two blondes said their goodbyes while Lexa stepped out of the car and walked around to open Clarke's door. "Take my hand," she offered to Clarke. The blonde didn't hesitate in taking Lexa's hand and letting her help.

"And they say chivalry is dead," Clarke said, planting a sweet kiss on Lexa's cheek in return.

"Did you have a good time?" Lexa asked. She held Clarke's hand as they walked the short distance from the car to the apartment doors. Her eyes were looking down at the ground, focused on all the small cracks in the concrete.

"Yes, I loved every second of it. Thank you," Clarke smiled at her. It was clear to her that Lexa was putting up her walls again and she didn't want the other girl to shy away.

"Good, i'm glad," the brunette offered.

Clarke had a hunch about what was bothering Lexa. Her mood changed after the conversation she had with her brother on the court. The blonde didn't want to intrude or come off as nosy, but she knew the only way her girlfriend would feel better was if she'd open up to her.

"Babe, just so you know things are going to work out with your brother," Clarke said, nudging the other girl playfully with her shoulder.

The two came to a halt in front of the apartment lobby doors, neither wanting to leave the other.

Lexa sighed audibly. "Am I horrible for not moving him out here with me?"

"Not at all. I think the choice you made to keep him in North Carolina is what's best for him right now," Clarke suggested.

"Then why do I feel so guilty?" Lexa asked. There were tears trying to force their way out but she swallowed hard, pushing them back for another time.

"Because he's your brother, Lex, and you'll do anything to keep him happy," the blonde said.

Lexa offered Clarke a half-smile in return. She hadn't known how much she needed a girlfriend like Clarke, someone supportive and caring. "You really are something else, Clarke," the brunette let out.

Clarke stepped forward, eliminating the space between the two of them and bringing her lips closer to Lexa's. "Please don't hesitate to call me when you're in Syracuse and need to talk," she said, "I'll be here."

Lexa responded by pressing her lips against Clarke's, the two sharing a quick embrace in the middle of the sidewalk.

"I should go," Clarke said into the kiss.

"Can I see you when I get back?" Lexa asked. She was already missing Clarke and she hadn't even left yet.

"Of course, why don't you come over and we can have a night in," Clarke suggested.

"I really like that idea," Lexa smiled.

They shared another quick kiss before Clarke stepped away, reaching out for the front door. "Remember, I'm here for you, Lexa," she said with a wave.


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14: Keep Your Hands Off My Girl_

"I have your salmon salad," Lexa announced as she stepped into Anya's office. She dug through a white plastic bag, pulled out a bowl, and handed it off to Anya when she reached her desk.

It wasn't every day that she'd pick up lunch for her best friend, in fact, she hardly ever did, but she found herself with some free time after dropping Aden off at the airport, and couldn't resist a quick stop at her favorite deli.

Anya covered the mouthpiece of her phone with her hand and thanked Lexa. "Don't leave yet," she added.

Lexa nodded, taking a seat in one of the two chairs across from Anya. She contemplated eating her sandwich while she waited but she had purposely gotten Clarke lunch too so they could eat it together.

"Yes, thank you, we'll stay in touch," Anya said to the person on the other line, trying desperately to end her call. "Have a great day," she added before hanging up the phone and sighing.

"Everything good?" Lexa asked.

"Trying to keep the Polaris tour under wraps," Anya said. "Apparently someone saw something on Twitter."

Lexa furrowed her brows. "What could they have seen? We haven't even finalized all the details." She said.

"I have no clue." Anya shook her head. She walked around her desk and took the seat next to Lexa. "I already diffused the situation though, don't worry."

"I'm not worried. This is why you're my marketing director, An," Lexa said with a big grin. She was never worried when it came to the marketing and promotions department. She knew damn well that Anya was a pro at her job. Not only did she graduate with a business degree specializing in marketing, but she was the only person who saw Lexa's vision when she kickstarted the label. There was no one else in the company that Lexa trusted more than Anya.

"I'm glad you stopped by. I wanted to check up on you," Anya said, leaning forward and placing her hand on Lexa's shoulder. "I know this has been a hard week for you."

"I'm alright now," Lexa promised. She gave Anya's hand a tight squeeze then gently pushed it off her shoulder. "Eat your salad," she added.

Anya moved the salad around with her fork, looking for the best piece of salmon to bite into first. "Don't retreat to your shell, Lexa, you can talk to me," she tried.

If there was anyone who could read Lexa like a book, it was Anya. Clarke too, but there were still a few things she couldn't pick up on. Anya, on the other hand, had years of experience when it came to understanding Lexa. She was the only one of the people Lexa cared about, who had been there for her when each incident in her life occurred.

"I'm okay, I promise. I spent some much needed time with Aden and did some soul searching in Syracuse," Lexa admitted, "And Clarke has helped tremendously."

"Just know i'm here for whatever you need," Anya said.

"Thank you," Lexa smiled.

"Speaking of the girlfriend, is everything going well with Clarke?" Anya asked. She leaned back against the chair, crossed her legs, and gave Lexa a devilish grin.

Lexa blushed, knowing fully well that this question was coming. "Yes," she nodded, "Aden really liked her. He wouldn't stop talking about her."

"I didn't ask about Aden," Anya smirked. "I want to know about you and your cute blonde," she added with a wink.

"We're doing fine, Anya," Lexa said.

Anya looked at Lexa with a quizzical look, eyebrows raised, "Just fine?"

"Okay, more than fine. She's been taking things at my speed and has been respectful of my intimacy issues. She's better than anyone I've ever been with," Lexa began, a smile tugging at her lips, "I don't know what it is about her but she has this ability to break down my walls and get through to me. You know how hard it is for me to let anyone in."

Anya took a bite of her salad and nodded, happy to hear her best friend found someone she could trust and like, maybe even _love_. She knew better than to ask though, bringing up love to Lexa was a sure way to get her back in her shell. Anya was a firm believer that she'd have to let her figure it out on her own.

"It does seems like she's been good to you," Anya said, pointing her fork in Lexa's direction, "She better stay that way."

"I'm surprising her with lunch today since she's stressed about the tour poster she's designing," Lexa said.

Lexa hadn't spoken much to Clarke since she returned to the city in the early morning. She was too caught up trying to get her brother to the airport on time and Clarke was focused on her work. They texted on and off throughout the morning, but Lexa could tell her girlfriend was preoccupied. She figured the best way to steal her away for a bit would be a lunch date.

"Make sure she has that poster ready by our meeting," Anya requested.

"She will. Don't hound her too much, please. She's still learning the ropes of this business and I can tell it's strenuous for her sometimes," Lexa said.

"There is no need to defend your girlfriend to me," Anya laughed, "You know I'm tough on everyone."

Lexa stood from her seat, leaned forward, and pressed a kiss on top of Anya's head. "Be nice," she said, "I'm going to head over to her office now so she can eat."

"I'll see you at our meeting then," Anya said. She stayed seated, eating her salad as her best friend turned to leave.

"Don't be late," Lexa joked, her back turned away from Anya.

Lexa was halfway to the door when Anya spoke again. "Oh! Lincoln texted and said he's coming in for the band since the rest of the crew is rehearsing for their gig today."

"I talked to him on the phone earlier, that's fine," Lexa shrugged. As long as one member of the group was there, she didn't care.

"Indra already spoke to Ashley so she'll be there too," Anya added.

Lexa suddenly stopped walking, the mention of Ashley's name alone made her skin crawl. "I forgot she was coming," Lexa sighed, turning to look at Anya.

"She's the opener of course she's coming," Anya laughed.

With Polaris going on their first headlining tour, the smartest option for an opener was Ashley. It wasn't Lexa's decision to make, she just signed off on the plans. As much as she disliked Ashley's personality, this was still a business and putting her on the road with the guys would mean great things for her debut album sales, and their touring income.

"Who are you taking with you to the meeting?" Lexa asked, hoping she wouldn't bring Clarke along. The last thing she wanted was to put Clarke in the same room as Ashley.

"Clarke," Anya said matter-of-factly. "Our department is slammed trying to work on the tour announcement teaser and she's the only available person I have," she said. "Plus I need her to listen to the conversation. It might help her with the creative process for this campaign."

"I would prefer she wasn't there," Lexa stated. She walked back to Anya, resting her hand on the empty chair and leaning against it.

"Why? Are _you_ doubting her skills to participate?"

"No, of course not, Clarke is special. She has learned so much and is-" Lexa began but was quickly interrupted.

"Okay, okay, I don't need you to give me a laundry list of compliments about your girlfriend," Anya rolled her eyes. "What's the problem with Clarke going? I thought you wanted her to learn."

Lexa took a deep breath, pinched the bridge of her nose, and closed her eyes. "It's not that," she said, "I'd rather Ashley stay as far from Clarke as possible."

Anya noticed something was bothering Lexa so she put her salad down and stood up. "Why? What happened between them?" She asked, placing her hands on Lexa's shoulders.

"She was hitting on Clarke," Lexa frowned.

"Was Clarke flirting back?" Anya asked, a little hesitant to inquire.

"No, Clarke had no clue she was even doing it," Lexa shook her head.

"Ashley doesn't know you're together, does she?"

"No, which is why she was flirting with her," Lexa said, "but I don't want her hitting on _my_ girlfriend."

"I'll keep an eye on her at the meeting," Anya said, her voice as defensive as it could get. "Don't worry," she added.

Lexa relaxed a little at Anya's assurance. She trusted her to protect her, even when it came in little things like keeping a young girl from her girlfriend.

Anya's phone rang, interrupting their conversation. "That's probably Indra," Anya said, "we're going over final details before the meeting."

"Take care of it," Lexa said. "I'm taking Clarke her lunch."

She hugged her best friend before quietly slipping out of her office.

Anya's office was located on the opposite side of Clarke's. A slew of offices separated the two from each other. Clarke's office was hidden in the back of the hallway, a little more private than others.

Lexa hated the boring nature of cubicles for her employees. She insisted from the founding of the record label that people would work in their own offices. It made for a better workplace atmosphere and employee moral seemed somewhat higher.

Each office had two to three people inside of it, everyone working separately but communally when need be. The front to each office consisted of nothing but a glass wall, making it easy for Lexa to check in on people when she visited departments.

As she walked the short distance from Anya's office to Clarke's, she looked around at her nearly frantic employees. Everyone was in their offices making calls, reaching out to the press, and curating the content needed to launch their announcement online. Busy as they were they still smiled up at her as she walked by, some waving from their computers, others nodding at her mid-phone conversation.

When she reached Clarke's office she stopped and looked in. Clarke wasn't at her desk, instead she was sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, sketchbook in hand. Lexa liked seeing the way Clarke looked when she would draw, admiring the way she'd slightly stick her tongue out to the side.

Lexa knocked softly before turning the doorknob and opening the door. "Hi, Clarke," she said as soon as she could see her girlfriend.

"Hey Lex," Clarke said, not bothering to look up.

Lexa cleared her throat causing Clarke to stop in her tracks and look up at her. They looked into each other's eyes, Clarke unable to get what Lexa was trying to tell her. She cleared her throat again, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

"Oh, shit, yeah," Clarke shook her head, "Hi, Miss Woods."

"Good save," Lexa laughed. She closed the door behind her, giving them some privacy. The glass walls kept them from doing anything physical, but the walls weren't thin so their conversations could stay private.

Clarke looked back down at her art and then spoke, "Did you just get back? I didn't think you'd be in today."

"I was going to take the day off but things are getting crazy with this tour announcement," Lexa said. She stepped closer towards Clarke, hovering over her as she worked.

"We're all a little stressed out. I finally finished the poster," Clarke said. "I'm working on some social media mockups now."

Clarke had set up a little work station on the floor, complete with her laptop, two empty cups of coffee, and a pile of designs in the middle of it all.

"You haven't eaten, have you?" Lexa asked, looking around for any evidence of food.

"I didn't even realize I was hungry," Clarke admitted.

"You should eat," Lexa said. She held out the plastic bag with the red logo of their favorite deli. "I stopped at Mile End's on the way back. I know that's your favorite."

"Thank you," Clarke smiled. "I can eat it once I finish here."

"Take a break," Lexa insisted. They had some time before their meeting and Clarke was well ahead of schedule now.

"I can't, I have to get this submitted to Anya," Clarke said.

"I already told Anya you're taking a lunch break," Lexa said as she held out her hand for Clarke to take. "We can eat in my office."

Clarke closed her sketchbook, grabbed her designs, and took Lexa's hand, letting her pull her up. "Lex, that's the third time this week don't you think people will talk?" She asked. She bent down and picked up her laptop, holding it close to her chest alongside the sketches.

"People come and go from my office, Clarke," Lexa reminded her. "No one will think anything of it."

"Are you sure Anya won't mind if I break?"

"I mind if you _don't_ take a break," Lexa said, putting the bag down on a chair and folding her arms in front of her chest. She gave Clarke the power stance she gives all her employees when she's in business mode, back straight and shoulders back.

"Well then," Clarke said, trying to conceal the fact that she was suddenly turned on by Lexa's demeanor change. She was a sucker for the way the brunette could switch so fast. "If you insist..."

* * *

"Where did Ontari go?" Clarke asked, noticing the empty desk outside of Lexa's office.

"Lunch, probably," Lexa replied. She pulled out a key from her purse and unlocked her office door. "After you," she said, holding the door open for Clarke.

"So, we're alone?" Clarke asked, giving Lexa a flirty wink as she walked in.

Lexa let her eyes fall on her girlfriend's backside as she entered her office. She tried to hold it all in, this was neither the time nor the place for any dirty thoughts.

"We're never alone," Lexa reminded her. "Not here."

"Damn, I missed you," Clarke let out as soon as the door closed behind them. She turned around and draped her arms around Lexa's neck, nuzzling her head in the crook of it as she hugged her tight.

"I missed you too," Lexa responded. She placed her hands on Clarke's waist, moving them slowly to her back and wrapping her in a big hug.

They stayed like this for a minute, neither wanting to break apart from this moment. Clarke was the first to pull back, but only to look at Lexa's face and close the space again with a gentle kiss. "I've been dying to do that since you came into my office," Clarke admitted.

"Careful, Ontari could walk in any minute," Lexa reminded her as she pulled back from the kiss.

"You're right, sorry," Clarke apologized. She pulled back completely, giving herself and Lexa plenty of space.

"Let's eat before this meeting," Lexa suggested. She led them over to the couch, taking Clarke's hand in hers while the other carried their meals.

Ever since they consummated their relationship in Los Angeles, Lexa had gotten more subconsciously touchy towards Clarke, specially at work. She always needed to be touching her in some way or another.

Clarke noticed but didn't mind it, she loved the way Lexa would caress her at random moments, or touch her lightly just to feel her warmth. She loved the way Lexa would touch the small of her back when they walked, or how she'd move a piece of her dangling hair behind her ear. She even loved the way Lexa would lightly touch her arm when she spoke, letting her know her attention was 100% on her.

It surprised Clarke that no one had caught on yet. Lexa reserved most of her intimate touches for the privacy of her office, but she wasn't as subtle as she thought when they were out by the other employees.

"One smoked meat sub," Lexa said, handing off the sandwich to Clarke.

"Thank you," Clarke smiled.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, both too hungry to focus on anything but starting their sandwiches.

"Did Aden get back okay?" Clarke asked. She took a big bite of her sub, nearly moaning from how tasty they made it.

"Yes, he should be arriving in North Carolina soon," Lexa said.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about it and I understand if that's the case," Clarke said before bringing up her hand to cup Lexa's face, lightly stroking her cheek with her thumb, "But if you need to I'm right here."

Lexa placed her hand above Clarke's, keeping it rested on her cheek. She tilted her head to the side, their hands sandwiched between Lexa's cheek and shoulder. "I think I'm finally okay," she admitted with a sigh of relief.

"Things go well in Syracuse?" Clarke asked. She already knew the answer, she talked to Lexa the entire time she was there, but she wanted to hear it in person.

"I didn't hurt as bad as years before," Lexa began, "I was able to be with my brother and show him the places where I grew up. He never got to see them when I took him before, I could never muster the courage to do that."

"It only gets easier from here," Clarke promised.

"He got to see the house where we lived and the school I graduated from," Lexa smiled, "He was too young when we lived there to remember any of it."

Clarke was thrilled to see Lexa smiling again. She admired the way one side of her lips curled upwards, giving her the half smile she was falling for. She had memorized that smile, engraved it in her head and in her heart. It was the smile Lexa only gave her and no one else. It made her feel something in side, like butterflies floating around her stomach.

"You're cute, you know that?" Clarke admitted. He head was lost in her thoughts about Lexa's smile and her own strong feelings for her that she didn't catch herself voicing them out loud.

Clarke watched as Lexa smiled into her sandwich, unable to speak as she took a big bite. She put it down after she bit into it, grabbing a few napkins and dabbing the sides of her mouth to clean off the excess mustard that she felt missed her mouth.

"You missed a spot," Clarke said. She took a napkin from Lexa's hold and wiped off the last remaining crumb. She looked into Lexa's forest green eyes as they looked back at her, her lips tugging into a smile, thanking her.

That's when it hit her. She had let the idea float around her head in their time apart but it never clicked. Not until she was sat there on the couch of Lexa's office, body angled towards her girlfriend, hand extended to help her clean off the mess of her sandwich, that it all suddenly made sense. It hit her like an astroid crashing through the earth's atmosphere at top speed.

Clarke Griffin was in love with Lexa Woods.

"Lex, I-" she tried but nothing would come out. She was suddenly losing her ability to formulate any words. She knew exactly what she wanted to say but she didn't know how.

"You what?" Lexa asked, confused by Clarke's sudden lack of speech.

Clarke wanted to say it. She wanted to put those thoughts into words, for Lexa to hear them, and say then back to her. But it wasn't the right place, nor the right time to admit it. She couldn't lay it out there for Lexa to possibly reject. She couldn't ruin what they had by scaring Lexa away.

"I didn't think I'd miss you as much as I did," Clarke confessed. It wasn't what she wanted to say, but she still meant it.

Lexa didn't notice Clarke let out a deep breath. She couldn't feel or hear the other girl's heart beating a mile a minute. "I was gone for two days," Lexa laughed. She joked, but she felt the exact same way.

"Just admit you missed me too," Clarke tried, scooting closer towards Lexa. She set the sandwich down on the empty side of the couch, worried less about eating and focused solely on Lexa's lips. She couldn't keep it together anymore.

"I did," Lexa gave in. She closed the tiny space between her and Clarke, their lips finding each other almost instantly.

This was different from any other kiss they had previously shared. Clarke's lips moved gently against Lexa's in a perfect harmony. It wasn't forceful, but instead gentle, passionate. There was a new taste, a new sensation to it. Clarke was trying to express her newly discovered feelings without words.

"Damn," Lexa said breathlessly into the kiss, "what was that for?" She asked.

Lexa didn't get it. It didn't click to her yet that Clarke was knee-deep in love with her. That the girl she was surprising with lunch and secretly kissing in her office was trying to confess her true feelings. She wouldn't get it even if it smacked her in the face.

"If we didn't have this meeting..." Clarke said, her voice low with desire and a hint of desperation. "I'd take you on this couch," she added, holding back a moan.

Lexa was a puddle underneath her work outfit. There was nothing anyone could do to help her now. "Don't," she said, her mouth suddenly dry.

A knock at the door brought them out of their euphoric haze. Clarke picked up her sandwich from beside her and scoot down away from Lexa, looking down at the remains of her meal as though it's the most interesting thing about the room.

Lexa cleared her throat and put on her game face. "Come in," she said, no trace of the previous moment in her voice.

Ontari opened the door and stepped in, not getting too close to the two seemingly nervous women. "Hi Miss Woods, just wanted to remind you of your meeting," she said, "I've set up the meeting room."

"We'll be right over! Thank you, Ontari," Lexa smiled.

Ontari nodded before turning around and exiting the room.

"Shit that was close," Clarke let out as soon as the door closed shut.

"Now I'm sexually frustrated," Lexa complained.

"We have fifteen minutes that's plenty of time for us to-" Clarke began but as she expected she was interrupted.

"Hurry up and finish your sandwich," Lexa interjected, "We aren't having sex before this meeting."

"I tried," Clarke shrugged.

Clarke finished her sandwich and helped Lexa clean up their small mess. Once they were through, Lexa grabbed her purse and notes, leading them out of her office and walking the short distance to the meeting room on her floor. She held the door open for Clarke, letting her enter first before following behind her.

If there was one thing Lexa was always persistent about it was being on time. She always showed up to meetings fifteen minutes early just to make sure she was the first one there. She hated being late.

"I'd let you sit next to me but Anya and Indra sit on my sides," she said as she dropped off her things in the head seat.

"Indra?" Clarke asked. She had slowly been meeting many of her coworkers but there was still a few floors of people she'd never encountered.

"She's a booking agent and manager," Lexa explained. "She's in charge of Polaris and Ashley."

"I think I might have seen her at one of the album release parties," Clarke said. She walked around looking for a place to sit, finally settling a seat two down from Lexa.

"It's too bad this office is all glass," Clarke smirked, "I could be-"

"Clarke, this is not the time," Lexa warned. She crossed her legs in her seat, trying badly to keep herself from coming undone before anyone arrived.

The remaining participants of the meeting trickled in over the next fifteen minutes. Anya came in first, flashing a smile at Lexa as she took the seat between her and Clarke. Indra and Lincoln walked in together, discussing their plans to meet up with the band after the conclusion of the meeting. Lincoln was the most casually dressed of all, proudly rocking a Rolling Stones tee and ripped jeans.

Clarke sat quietly by Anya, her computer and designs sprawled out on the table. She watched as everyone interacted, making jokes about deadlines and wishing the announcement would happen faster.

Ashley was the only one missing, but Lexa had no plans of waiting. As soon as it was noon, she began the meeting.

"Welcome everybody," Lexa said, "Let's get started so we can finish on time."

"Ashley is running a little late," Indra informed the group.

"We'll begin without her," Lexa said, "We have a lot of ground to cover and only half an hour to do so."

Lexa shuffled some papers in front of her. She pulled up a checklist with the talking points for the meeting.

Clarke watched as the meeting began without Ashley. Lexa didn't have to tell anyone when to speak, they all seemed to know the flow of the meeting.

Indra was the first to speak after Lexa. She began by listing off the 27 secured tour dates and 3 pending venues.

Anya followed with a mini presentation of the social media and marketing plan. "The boys are big on Twitter and Instagram so we'll focus our attention on reaching that audience," she explained.

"Clarke has some mockups for these platforms," Lexa informed the group, "Can we see them?"

Clarke pulled out her sketchbook from her bag and opened it. She hardly ever went anywhere without her sketchbooks, but she made a point to have one specifically for work so no one could see her personal drawings of Lexa in the other ones.

Clarke was suddenly very nervous as she fidgeted with her sketches. She didn't expect to be put on the spot.

Before she could even get a word out there was a small tap at the door.

"Come in," Lexa said.

"Ashley is here, Miss Woods," Ontari announced.

"Let her in," Lexa said. She looked visibly annoyed by the whole situation.

"Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late," Ashley said as soon as she walked in. She was out of breath and sweaty.

"Take a seat Ashley," Lexa said.

Instead of taking the closest seat to the door, Ashley chose to sit next to Clarke. It did not go unnoticed by Lexa.

"Let's get back to our discussion," Lexa demanded. The room felt colder now that Ashley had arrived.

Clarke searched through her sketches and pulled out the best ones. She showed the group her poster design along with the social media mockups she had drawn up. The poster she designed was, like much of her previous artwork for Polaris, space-themed. The design featured a mix of constellations on a black background with a blurred earth and astronaut highlighted in the bottom right corner. Her other sketches were smaller versions of the poster, each highlighting different solar systems.

"Those look awesome," Ashley said. She placed her hand on Clarke's, giving her a small squeeze. "You really do have talent."

"Thanks," Clarke responded. She carefully pulled her hand away, not wanting to be rude but trying to give off the idea that she wasn't interested.

"Let's get those roughs as graphics," Lexa suggested. "They're phenomenal."

"That poster is exactly the vibe we were going for," Lincoln pointed out. "Way to go Clarke!"

Clarke blushed, happy to hear everyone's thoughts about her work.

The meeting continued with Lexa ordering everyone to move forward with their plans. Getting the tour announced would be priority for everyone for the next two days until it went live.

As Lexa concluded the meeting, Ashley's attention was elsewhere. She moved her chair closer to Clarke, leaned over and whispered something in her ear, causing Clarke to give her a sympathetic smile. Lexa watched the entire encounter, wishing she could know what Ashley might be saying to make her girlfriend smile.

"What do you think, Miss Woods?" Indra asked. Lexa had been too caught up watching Ashley and Clarke that she didn't hear a single thing that was said.

"Please repeat what you said. I'm sorry," Lexa said.

"I spoke to the team and we think it'd be a good idea to drop a single from Ashley's debut album the day we announce the tour," Indra repeated what she had previously stated, "To hype it up."

"That's fine by me," Lexa nodded. She was ready for this meeting to be over and to have Ashley as far away from Clarke as possible.

"Great, we'll get this announcement ready to go then," Indra replied happily.

"Everybody back to work," Lexa ordered. Her voice was calm, but firm, not giving away a hint of jealousy or annoyance.

Anya could sense something was wrong with Lexa. She had seen the way her mood changed the second Ashley walked in and took a seat next to Clarke.

"Are you alright?" Anya leaned forward and whispered into Lexa's ear.

Lexa didn't speak, she just nodded towards Anya, silently assuring her that she was okay.

"I'm going to get back to work," Anya said as she stood up and grabbed her coffee cup, "Let me know if you need anything," she added, looking over at Ashley who was sparking up a conversation with Clarke.

Anya left the room with Indra and Lincoln, leaving only Lexa, Clarke, and Ashley behind.

Lexa sat still in her chair, mindlessly flipping through the notes and papers she had brought with her, trying slyly to listen to the conversation beside her.

"I think i'm most excited for the Colorado show," Ashley told Clarke, a cunning smile forming on her lips, "You know, cause the weed."

"That's... cool," Clarke said, not very fazed by the conversation.

"If you ever wanna try some i've always got some on me," Ashley offered with a wink.

"I've tried it before it's not really my thing," Clarke admitted. "But thanks."

Lexa looked down at her phone, checking the time and making herself look occupied. She could leave the room and head back to her office, or she could stay and make sure Ashley didn't overstep any boundaries.

"Got any plans for tonight?" Ashley asked.

"I do yes," Clarke admitted.

"What about this weekend?" Ashley tried. She bit her lip and looked at Clarke who wasn't looking back at her. "I wanted to see if maybe you'd like to go out and chill."

"I'm sorry, I can't," Clarke said.

"Why not, princess?"

"Yeah... please don't call me princess," Clarke demanded, "And I can't because I have a girlfriend, Ashley," Clarke said.

"Like a serious girlfriend or just a fling?" Ashley kept prying.

"Very serious girlfriend," Clarke announced. She was starting to grow a little uncomfortable with the situation.

Lexa watched the entire thing. Eyes locked on Ashley, ears listening as best as possible to what was going on.

"Well if you ever want to..."

"If she ever wants to what?" Lexa asked, interrupting the conversation. She didn't mean to get possessive and intervene, but she couldn't sit there and watch her girlfriend get hit on right in front of her.

"I'm sorry Miss Woods I don't think this is any of your business," Ashley said, trying to be somewhat respectful of her boss.

"Actually, this is my business," Lexa said sternly.

Ashley looked between the two of them. She had seen the looks Lexa gave Clarke during the meeting. She heard the way she talked Clarke up like she's the second coming. And now, with her knight in shining armor facade, Lexa was proving her hunch.

"You can't be serious," Ashley gasped, "It's Lexa, isn't it? She's your girlfriend."

"No," Clarke quickly defended in unison with Lexa's simple, "Yes."

"So which is it?" Ashley asked, arms folded in front of her, an eyebrow raised as she looked between the two.

"Clarke is my girlfriend," Lexa admitted, "And I suggest you quit trying to get with her if you want to keep this record deal."

WHOOMP, there it is. A couple important things happening this chapter so I hope you guys enjoyed. I know it's pretty packed. I almost considered deleting most of the meeting stuff because it's a lot of business mumbo jumbo but eh.


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15: Those Three Words_

 _"You can't be serious," Ashley gasped, "It's Lexa, isn't it? She's your girlfriend."_

 _"No," Clarke quickly defended in unison with Lexa's simple, "Yes."_

 _"So which is it?" Ashley asked, arms folded in front of her, an eyebrow raised as she looked between the two._

 _"Clarke is my girlfriend," Lexa admitted, "And I suggest you quit trying to get with her if you want to keep this record deal."_

Lexa pursed her lips as she stood up from her chair and slowly walked over towards Clarke and Ashley. She stood beside Clarke, their bodies a few feet apart as Ashley stood on the opposite side, looking between the two.

There was a gnawing feeling at the pit of her stomach, a venomous sensation of her pent-up jealousy. She hadn't felt this way since she walked in on Costia and Matt. She was traumatized from her past experiences, her heart never truly healing from that.

Lexa wished she hadn't intervened the way she did, but something had to happen, she couldn't stand the way Ashley would throw herself at Clarke. The last thing she needed was to watch her girlfriend get taken away by someone else. Not again.

"Clarke doesn't seem to agree," Ashley said, "Are you really dating or is this some elaborate plan to let me down easy?" She asked, turning to Clarke.

"We're together. I was just respecting Lexa's wishes," Clarke admitted, giving Lexa an apologetic smile.

Ashley nodded her head, "This... This changes everything then," she said, her voice softening up. She changed her demeanor, no longer as stiff and defensive but now somewhat intrigued. "Sorry for hitting on her," she offered her half-baked apology, briefly looking at Lexa.

Lexa looked at her suspiciously, not buying the apology nor Ashley's sudden sentiment change. She knew Ashley wasn't backing down easily because she felt bad for what she did, there had to be more to it than that.

"I think you should leave," Lexa said with a slight hint of anger seeping into her voice. Her eyes were cold as they looked into Ashley's, silently expressing every negative thought she had towards her.

It was a sight Clarke had never seen before, at least not in Lexa, and she wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. There was something hot yet striking about the way Lexa carried herself in that moment. She stood straight, her chin up and jaw clenched with an icy stare that sent shivers throughout Clarke's body.

"Look, if I would've known from the start that you two were a _thing_ , I would've kept my distance," Ashley stated, pointing between the two girls as she mentioned their relationship.

"We're not a thing," Lexa defended, emphasizing the last word, "She's my girlfriend."

"Whatever you are, I wouldn't have gotten involved," Ashley said.

"Bullshit," Lexa scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You'd still be after Clarke even if you knew the truth. You could care less who she was with. You like the thrill of wrecking someone's relationship, don't you?"

Ashley took a step towards Lexa, eyes looking straight at her with a smirk on her face. "You don't know jack shit about me," she said.

"I may not know enough about you, Ashley, but I've been with girls like you," Lexa said, "So I know how you work."

"If you know me so well, then I guess you don't have much to worry about, huh?" Ashley asked, taking a step closer to Lexa. The space between them was slowly getting smaller, only Clarke and a few feet of space held them apart.

"Stand down," Lexa demanded, "You don't want to mess with me."

"What are you going to do?" Ashley asked, tilting her head to the side with a fake smile, "Drop me?"

Lexa took in a deep breath, preparing herself for the worst. "You need to show me some respect, Ashley, I'm your boss. I can drop you from this label if I want," she defended.

"You wouldn't," Ashley said confidently. She folded her arms in front of her, leaning her body against one of the chairs beside her.

"Don't test me. You don't want to know the damage I could do to your career," Lexa snarled.

Clarke watched them interact, noting the way Lexa's vein on her neck became more and more visible with each word she uttered.

"But you wouldn't because you need me. You need talent like me," Ashley stated. She didn't mind testing Lexa's limits, in fact, she was enjoying riling her up.

Lexa balled her hands into fists in a helpless frustration, causing her to take a step forward towards Ashley. "There's plenty more talent where you came from," she said, her tone growing angrier.

"You're bluffing. You wouldn't drop me unless you wanted a PR fiasco to ensue," Ashley said.

Lexa hated that she was right. She could drop Ashley, no longer worry about having her around to mess with Clarke, but at what cost? The young girl was already talk of the industry, a stunt like that would get her better coverage but leave Lexa to deal with the damage control. She could't afford that right now, not when the label was taking off and investors were lining up to make deals.

It was too late to change her mind on Ashley, the damage was more than done. The second she signed the dotted line, Lexa was stuck with her for at least the completion of an album. There was no other way around it.

Clarke had seen enough of their back and forth. She stepped between the two of them, arms out in an attempt to end their ongoing argument. "You two need to stop," she said harshly.

"You going to let your girl tell you what to do?" Ashley asked, taking Clarke's hand and swatting it down.

"Don't fucking touch her," Lexa snarled again. She took one last step closer, her chest out, ready to fight.

Lexa was never an aggressive person, not unless she was provoked. There were only a handful of things that would ever get her going - talking about her parents or the feeling of her relationship being threatened.

"Babe, calm down," Clarke quickly pleaded, turning her attention fully to Lexa. She put her hands up to her chest, lightly pushing her back so they could have some space away from Ashley. "Breathe," she added.

"Get her out of here," Lexa demanded. Her eyes were still stone cold from the argument, but they softened as they looked into Clarke's worried blue ones.

Clarke wished she didn't have to watch Lexa suffer like this anymore. She wanted her to drop the whole thing so they could move on and she could feel better.

"Lex, let it go," Clarke said. She turned around looking back at Ashley who was feeling smug and smiling at her. "You need to leave, Ashley," she told her directly.

"I'm not trying to start a fight I-" Ashley began but was quickly shut down by Clarke's interruption.

"I'm happy with Lexa, okay? I'm not looking for anything else, not with you, not with anyone," Clarke interjected. "So please, do me a favor and leave," she added.

"Okay, i'll go," Ashley nodded, listening to Clarke.

Clarke waited until Ashley left the room to pull Lexa in for a hug. She didn't care that they were in a meeting room where anyone who came up to Lexa's floor would see them. In that moment all she could focus on was making her girlfriend feel better again.

She felt Lexa's body soften under her hold as her arms wrapped tighter around Lexa's waist. They stayed like this for a few minutes, neither wanting to lose the warmth of the other.

"Let it go?" Lexa asked, mumbling into Clarke's shoulder as they hugged. "How do you expect me to let that go?" She added clearly as she pulled back from their embrace.

"You were getting a little aggressive, Lex," Clarke admitted. She straightened out her outfit, making sure she didn't appear too disheveled from their hug.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Lexa said, her voice breaking. "I just got really jealous seeing the way she was acting with you."

Lexa's eyes fell to the floor, avoiding Clarke's stare. She was going back to the place she was so used to retreating to. Clarke wanted nothing more than to hold her hand, to cup her cheek and tell her everything was alright. So she did. She didn't care if anyone saw them.

Clarke took Lexa's right hand in hers, lightly massaging her knuckles, aiming to help her breathe and relax. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that," she said. "But i'm yours and nothing is going to change that."

Lexa was exhausted from the argument. She could feel her body slowly shutting down in response, almost like she was drained of all emotion. It helped that Clarke could easily pick up on these signs and was doing her best to comfort her.

"Clarke," Lexa said lowly, causing Clarke to look straight into her eyes at the way she said her name. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, babe," Clarke promised.

"I'm sorry I struggle with trust. I'm sorry I fought with her in front of you like that it was so-" Lexa rambled on before Clarke's lips were silencing her.

"Shh, don't worry," Clarke whispered into her lips.

Lexa smiled softly into their kiss before pulling back, realizing they weren't in the privacy of her office but still standing in the middle of the meeting room. She looked around outside, looking out for anyone but no one seemed to be around.

"You're lucky no one is around right now to see us," Lexa said, stealing one last kiss from Clarke before straightening out her own clothes.

Just as quickly as Lexa had fallen into her sad state, she bounced back into work mode when she looked down at her watch and noticed the time. "We should get back to work," she instructed, " Anya needs you to send in what you have by the end of the day."

"Lexa, no, we need to talk about this," Clarke insisted. She wanted to make sure things between them were okay, that whatever had just happened would be in the past.

"I'm okay, please get back to work," Lexa said. She walked over to the chair she had previously been sitting at, grabbed her notes, and made her way over to the door. She waited a few minutes for Clarke to react and follow behind her.

"You're still coming over tonight, right?" Clarke asked, a small smile forming on her face.

"Yes," Lexa nodded.

* * *

Clarke was laying on her couch, feet up on Lexa's lap with her head on top of the arm rest, as they watched a new episode of House of Cards. She had Leo next to her chest, fast asleep as he cuddled into her body. She ran her hand over his soft coat, absentmindedly petting him as she stared off at the TV, not fully paying attention to what was happening on-screen.

Lexa was fully focused on the episode, unable to tear her eyes away from every scene. She held Clarke's legs close to her, caressing the smooth, recently shaven skin.

There were half empty boxes of Chinese take out on the table, none of which either had the full appetite to finish, and Clarke's untouched beer sitting right beside them.

The girls had the apartment to themselves. Raven had taken off to go to the gym with Octavia, a routine of theirs that kept her out for at least a few hours.

"Frank is horrible," Lexa said to Clarke when the character threatened to kill someone. She loved to hate Frank Underwood, but she couldn't get enough of the show.

Clarke was silent, eyes looking towards the TV but mind completely gone. She was completely unaware of the dialogue happening on-screen.

The lack of response was a little alarming for Lexa. "Babe, is everything okay?" she asked. She too had gotten into the habit of calling Clarke those cute but godawful pet names that the blonde secretly loved.

"Hm?" Clarke said, blinking away her thoughts and turning her head slightly to look at Lexa.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she lied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know you looked very pensive," Lexa said. "What's on your mind?" She asked, patting her leg lightly.

"Nothing," Clarke shrugged and turned her attention back to the TV.

She looked on again but didn't focus on what was going on as she had missed most of the dialogue for the last fifteen minutes.

"That didn't seem like nothing to me," Lexa tried.

"Honestly, Lexa, I'm fine," Clarke defended.

At the mention of her name, Lexa knew Clarke wasn't truly being honest. Her tone made her sound irritated. She'd been with Clarke long enough to distinguish the way she said things.

Lexa reached forward, grabbing the TV remote and pausing the episode. She didn't want to miss what was happening, but still wanting to discuss whatever was bothering her girlfriend.

Clarke looked back at Lexa, confusion spreading across her face. "What did you do that for?" She asked.

"Will you please talk to me?" Lexa begged, settling back into the couch.

"Don't worry about it," Clarke said. "It's nothing."

It wasn't nothing. Clarke had been thinking about it since their meeting. She had gone to her office and thought about it, she came home and thought about it. It was all that consumed her mind since she last saw Lexa in the meeting room.

Lexa moved her hand up Clarke's leg, settling on her thigh. "Talk to me, Clarke. I can tell something is up."

Clarke sighed, giving in to her girlfriend's desperate attempts at communicating. "Have you considered just telling people at work we're together?" She asked, sitting up and removing her legs from Lexa's lap. She fixed herself into a sitting position, one leg on the couch facing Lexa, the other hanging out from the side of the couch. Leo woke as Clarke shuffled into a seating position. He moved around her, jumping over to Lexa's lap.

"Is this because I told Ashley?" Lexa asked.

"It's not about that," Clarke shook her head.

"Then why are you suddenly interested in coming out?"

"I just want to be able to go out with you and do things without worrying about someone from work seeing us," Clarke began, "Or kissing you on the cheek ar work because I can."

"Clarke, it's difficult... we work together."

"You said yourself intercompany dating isn't an issue," Clarke reminded her of the conversation they shared months ago. "So why can't we just say we're a couple and move on."

"I don't want us to become the subjects of work gossip," Lexa admitted. "They already talked when Costia cheated."

"So what, Lexa? We should be able to enjoy this relationship to its full extent."

"Are you not enjoying this relationship?" Lexa asked, a little offended by Clarke's response. "Because you don't have to stay with me if you don't enjoy it."

"That is not what I said," Clarke quickly defended.

"Why are you riding me about this?"

"Because I want to do things with you," Clarke sighed. "You're my girlfriend I want people to know that."

"I thought you were trying to respect the fact that I need time," Lexa said.

"I have been, don't you dare say I haven't. I've been so patient with everything," Clarke sighed, "I just hate having to overthink if what I say or do comes off as obvious."

"I feel like you're pressuring me," Lexa admitted. She turned her body to face Clarke's, trying to get a better view of her face.

"I'm not. Please just think about it," Clarke pleaded, scooting closer into Lexa.

"I don't know, Clarke."

Clarke let it go. She didn't want to start a big fight. They hadn't had a fight before, just little bickering, and she didn't want today to be the first time. It didn't help that Clarke was dying to tell Lexa her true feelings. Everything inside her scream, "tell her". She needed to know.

"If it's any consolation, I don't think Ashley will tell anyone," Clarke said, after a moment of silence. "She said she won't tell anyone if we're not ready."

"When did she say that?" Lexa asked, not recalling that from their discussion earlier.

"She told me earlier," Clarke said.

Lexa leaned back in slight disbelief. She was taken aback by Clarke's revelation. "You've been talking to her?" she asked.

"She came to my office after I left the meet-" Clarke began but Lexa interrupted.

"Wait, you talked to her and you didn't think to tell me?" Lexa asked, a questioning expression on her face.

"Since when do I have to report everything to you?" Clarke asked, offended my Lexa's attitude. Lexa may have the upper hand at work, but there was no way Clarke would ever let her bring that into their relationship.

"You don't I just prefer to know when someone who is trying to ruin my relationship is meeting alone with you."

"Nothing happened, Lexa," Clarke said, slightly annoyed, "She came to apologize and check out my progress on her album cover."

"I'm sure that wasn't the only thing she was checking out," Lexa said. She sighed, looking away from Clarke and down at Leo who was desperately trying to sleep on her lap.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Clarke didn't get it. She didn't understand why Lexa was so defensive about Ashley. The girl was young and free, but Clarke only had eyes for Lexa, she could care less about the singer.

"You don't think it's weird that she's coming solely to you to apologize? I'm the one she should be apologizing to," Lexa hated to admit it.

"She's harmless. She's not going to try anything now," Clarke blew it off.

"Are you defending her?"

"God, Lexa, you're blowing this out of proportion," Clarke cried out, flinging her arms up in the air with frustration.

"How? Do you suppose I just sit back and accept another girl ogling my girlfriend?" Lexa defended, tone rising as she spoke.

"No, but I'm telling you, nothing happened," Clarke said, "Please trust me."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Lexa sighed.

"There was nothing to say she apologized and left," Clarke shrugged, "Are we really turning this into a fight?"

"This isn't fair to me," Lexa admitted.

"Lex," Clarke said softly, scooting closer towards Lexa. "My attention is only on you. Trust me. I know you have a hard time with that but please."

"It just hurts to see someone flirting with you. You know it's a sore subject," Lexa let out a long breath. She looked back up at Clarke, her eyes full with tears ready to fall.

Lexa tried not to cry. She tried not to get carried away by her thoughts but it was inevitable. She couldn't stop herself from imagining how easy it would be for Clarke to just walk away. Ashley was cute, young, and not... damaged. Clarke could leave her the same way Costia left her all those months ago.

"I know it's a difficult subject, but I love you not her," Clarke said.

The words fell out of Clarke's mouth on their own and she didn't realize immediately what she had said. It was the wide eyed expression on Lexa's face that made her rethink through her last sentence.

Clarke meant those three words. She had felt them for a while but she was scared to say them to the girl in front of her. She had planned the many ways that conversation would go. Letting it slip mid-fight wasn't one of the thoughts she'd considered.

But now that the words had been uttered, she wanted Lexa to say it back. So she waited. Lexa couldn't speak at first. She stayed quiet, crawling back into the shell, the one she had crawled out of in LA. It was like for every step forward, they'd take two steps back.

Clarke waited for a response. Similar feelings. Anything. But Lexa gave her nothing.

Up until Clarke confessed her love, Lexa could do very well do physical intimacy. But when it came to giving the emotional part of herself, she couldn't. She had opened up to Clarke, told her everything that affected her life, shared the secrets hardly anyone knew, but she couldn't say the three little words that she felt. She didn't know how. Not yet.

Lexa didn't want to fall in love again, not for a long time. She wasn't ready to give so much of herself to someone else who had the power to break her. She could never give to a relationship again like she did with Costia. At least that's what she told herself, until she met Clarke.

Clarke and Lexa sat there silently, the words Clarke wanted to hear were at the tip of Lexa's tongue, begging to be released. But she couldn't, not yet.

Clarke just stared, waiting to hear the words back.

"I-" Lexa began. Her voice was shaky. "I can't. I have to go." She said, standing up as she spoke. Leo jumped out of her lap, startled by Lexa's sudden movements.

"Lexa don't walk away from your feelings," Clarke said. She reached her hand out to take Lexa's but she was already making her way to the door.

Clarke stood up, not letting her girlfriend leave her in this moment. Not when they needed to talk about something so serious, so important.

"You don't know anything about my feelings," Lexa defended. This was all overwhelming to her, she couldn't do love, not again.

"That's a lie and you know it. I know you feel the same way about me," Clarke cried out. Her blue eyes were filled with the tears she was not trying to hold back. They streamed down her face as she walked closer to Lexa who had already reached the door.

"I can't do this right now, Clarke," Lexa said, her fingers wrapped around the doorknob, ready to make an escape.

Lexa had no chance to fully open the door before a sweaty, panting, sports-bra-and-leggings clad Raven pushed it open. Lexa flew back, the door hitting her in the head and slamming her down into the ground.

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry," Raven cried when she noticed Lexa on the ground, hand rubbing the top of her forehead. She took out her earbuds, tossing them with her phone on the nearest table.

"Get her some ice," Clarke demanded. She was already on her knees next to Lexa, trying to make sure she wasn't injured.

"I need to go," Lexa said, avoiding eye contact. She attempted to push herself off the ground but Clarke wouldn't let her go.

"You can't drive until I check that you don't have a concussion," Clarke said.

"Since when are you a doctor?" Lexa asked.

"I'm not but I know how to asses this," Clarke rolled her eyes, "I studied some medicine in college."

"You really don't have to take care of me," Lexa refused, pulling away from Clarke and standing up.

"Lexa," Clarke said, "you aren't going anywhere until I evaluate you."

"You're not my doctor," she said.

"Please don't be stubborn and just let me check," Clarke tried.

"Fine," Lexa sighed, her body going limp in acceptance of her loss.

Raven returned with a bag of frozen peas and a glass of water. She handed the bag to Lexa and held out the water for her to drink out of. "Here's some aspirin too," she offered, holding out two little pills in her hand.

"Thanks," Lexa said with a soft smile as she took the pills and quickly swallowed them. She took a sip of the water then handed it back to Raven.

"Okay well I'm going to shower. I'm sure I smell like a dead rat," Raven said, "You kids let me know if you need anything."

Clarke wrapped her arm around Lexa and walked her over to the couch, sitting her down in the same place she had been at before. "You have a bump on your forehead," she noted. She reached up and lightly placed the frozen peas bag on the protruding bump.

"Ouch, it hurts like hell," Lexa admitted, wincing at Clarke's touch.

"Do you have a headache? Are you dizzy at all?" Clarke began interrogating. She checked the sides of Lexa's face as she spoke, making sure there weren't any other visible injuries.

"No, it's just the bump that hurts," Lexa said.

"Do you remember what we were talking about before you got hit?" Clarke asked.

"Yes," Lexa said, "I don't have memory loss, Clarke."

"Do you feeling anything different at all?" Clarke tried. She could sense that Lexa didn't want to be doing this but she rather not let her get a concussion on her watch.

"I told you it's just the bump," Lexa sighed.

Clarke nodded, she ran her finger in front of Lexa's face, instructing her to watch as she moved it from side-to-side and up-and-down. Lexa followed without error. "I think you're fine," Clarke assessed.

Lexa held the cold bag up onto her forehead as the two sat in silence. She couldn't make the easy escape anymore, she was stuck facing her emotions head on.

"I'm not ready to say what you want me to say," Lexa finally broke the silence. It took everything in her to let those words come out, but even then they weren't exactly what she wanted to say.

Clarke reached forward, taking Lexa's free hand in hers and bringing up to her lips. "I'm not trying to pressure you into anything," she promised. "I just need you to know that I meant what I said, even if it stumbled out of me."

"I know you mean it," Lexa smiled, "I just... You know me," she shrugged, "I'm a mess in here," she added, pulling her hand from Clarke's grasp and pointing to her head.

"You're not a mess, Lex," Clarke laughed, "You have a fragile heart that you want protected. Well i'm here to tell you that I want to keep you and that heart safe."

"You're something else," Lexa half-smiled at Clarke, repeating the line she loved to use in reference to her girlfriend.

 **Clarke did that. She did the thing. Did you expect Clarke to tell Lexa she loves her?** **Also, hope you enjoyed YOUR favorite: Ashley.**


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16: Say What You Need To Say_

Clarke shifted in her chair, unable to find a comfortable position. She had been sitting at her desk for the past three hours, working diligently on a new design and thinking deeply about Lexa. She had the whole day to work on the design, but of course, with so much on her mind, she chose to spend the first few hours of her slow Thursday trying to knock out the whole thing.

After finding a decent position to sit in, Clarke grabbed the drawing pad from her desk and leaned back in her seat, setting the small tablet on her leg and returning to her work.

The sounds of her work playlist filled her office, and she nodded her head to the beat. She loved the feeling of working on her art as she listened to some of the new music the label was working to put out; it was the perks of the job.

As one song faded into another, Clarke let her mind roam. She struggled to keep her thoughts off of Lexa, but no matter what she did or how hard she tried, her girlfriend was all she could think about.

It was hard not to think about anything else, things between them weren't going as smoothly after Clarke confessed she loved her and got nothing in return.

It had been five days and fifteen hours since Clarke said those three words to Lexa in her living room. Five days and fifteen hours since Lexa closed up again after she left the apartment.

They had talked about it before she left, Lexa seemingly okay with Clarke's confession, but it was her actions afterwards that threw Clarke off.

It wasn't like the two had a major falling out before Lexa started to physically ghost her. They spoke a few times over text but they hadn't seen each other since that night, not even at work. And Lexa was doing the most she could to avoid Clarke; working mostly from her office and refusing to step foot in the marketing department.

Lexa needed space and Clarke knew she had a particular way of handling her feelings. She wasn't the type to talk about it, no, she'd run from it.

Clarke was starting to feel the distance between them and she hated it. She wasn't used to any of this, she felt like she was going crazy without Lexa by her side. She'd so easily gotten accustomed to spending time with Lexa, to seeing her at work and at each other's houses, that she had no clue how to be away from her.

But that's how she knew she loved Lexa. It was that gut-wrenching, head-spinning feeling that she got at the thought of losing her. She had fallen for the girl who hated communication and ran from her problems, but yet there was nothing she would ever want to change about her.

Deep in her heart, Clarke knew Lexa felt the same way. She could pinpoint the moment she fell in love with Lexa and she was sure she could guess when Lexa started to fall for her.

Losing herself in thought helped her work faster on her assignments, although it did nothing to make her feel better.

Clarke sighed loudly as she colored in the last section of her design. With that done all she had left to do was edit and print out a rough for Anya to see.

"Good stopping point," she mumbled to herself. She put her drawing pad down over her sketches before leaning back against her chair again.

Clarke folded her arms behind her head, giving herself a much needed mental and physical break. Her eyes scanned her design and she smiled to herself, satisfied with her work.

She looked on at her desk, debating whether to clean it or leave it as it was. Her desk was a bit of a mess, as it always was when she worked on her assignments. There were two empty Starbucks cups to her right, coffee-stained sketches to her left, and her laptop directly in front of her.

Clarke had been so caught up in absentmindedly staring at her desk that she almost didn't hear the soft tapping at her door. She recognized that knock, it was the one she was used to hearing at least once every work day.

"Fuck," she uttered with a heavy sigh.

She wasn't expecting her to show up at her office like this. So naturally, Clarke panicked. She leaned forward in her chair, straightening the creases of the bottom of her black dress.

The soft knock came again.

"Come in," Clarke said. Her voice cracked and she cringed in response.

Lexa turned the knob, pushed the door open, and stepped into Clarke's office. She hid her hands behind her back, hiding something from Clarke as she entered. She let the door close behind her as she stepped to the side, waiting on a cue from Clarke.

"Hi," she said. She gave Clarke her half-smile, hoping it would be enough to break the ice.

"Hey you," Clarke said, eyes focused on the music note necklace that Lexa wore around her neck.

"Do you mind?" Lexa asked, nodding her chin towards her.

"Please come closer," Clarke basically pleaded.

Lexa walked the short distance from the door to the side of Clarke's desk, choosing to stand as close to her as possible.

Clarke wasn't subtle. She checked Lexa out as she walked towards her, eyes scanning from head to toe. She focused on the way Lexa's pencil skirt hugged her thighs, how the pink blouse she was wearing was open just enough for her cleavage to peek through. She noted that Lexa must had come from a meeting with her bookers since she only wore the pencil skirts for important meetings.

All their issues aside, Clarke was happy to see Lexa's face again, to smell the lavender-vanilla scent that followed her around everywhere she went. It was comforting to have her around again. Texting periodically throughout the day was never enough, specially not when Lexa had been avoiding her for five days.

"Are you busy?" Lexa asked. She kept her hands behind her back, hiding something from Clarke's view.

"I was working on an assignment from Anya," Clarke said, pointing to the design that was open on her Photoshop, "but I was just about to take a break."

"I wanted to talk to you," Lexa said, her eyes looking straight into Clarke's.

For Clarke, Lexa was easy to read. She would look her straight in the eyes when she had something important to say, and look down at her fidgeting hands when she was trying desperately to communicate but struggling to do so.

"Here or your office?" Clarke asked. She was used to having their private conversations in Lexa's office.

"Here is fine," Lexa promised.

"Are you sure?" Clarke asked, turning her swivel chair to look at Lexa better.

"Yes, actually, that's part of what I wanted to talk to you about," Lexa said. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, standing awkwardly in front of her girlfriend.

Clarke reached forward and lowered her laptop screen, not enough to close it but leaving a sliver open just to keep it from being a distraction. She pushed the laptop to the side and placed her elbow on the desk, leaning her head against the palm of her hand.

"I'm listening," she said.

There was something about Lexa that seemed different to her. It wasn't a physical change, but there was an air to her, a newfound confidence that Clarke had never seen. She knew Lexa was confident in the workplace, but this wasn't professional confidence.

"First off," Lexa said, bringing her hands out from behind her back to reveal a bouquet of lavender roses, "these are for you."

"Lex…" Clarke said, a hand over her mouth to cover her surprise, "you didn't have to."

Lexa gave Clarke an apologetic smile, "I wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting since the other night."

Clarke accepted the bouquet, bringing them into her and smelling them. She never thought about keeping flowers in her office so finding a vase to put them in would be difficult. Instead, she laid them out softly on the emptiest side of her desk.

"They're beautiful," she said to Lexa when she returned her attention to her.

"I think the entire department saw me walking with them," Lexa laughed.

Lexa recalled walking past many of her employees with flowers in her hands. Some asked if they were hers and she told them they were for her girlfriend. The entire marketing department saw her strut down the hallway with the bouquet in hand as she made her way to Clarke's office.

She knew there would be speculation and that people would be quick to talk, but she was ready for it. Lexa had thought this all through. She was ready for all of it.

"Is that okay?" Clarke asked, unable to decipher if Lexa's statement was a good thing.

"I want them to know about us, Clarke, I don't want to hide you anymore," Lexa revealed, "If they want to talk, let them talk. What matters to me is _you_."

"You really don't have to do that if you're not comfortable with people knowing," Clarke said, looking up at Lexa who was still standing awkwardly.

"Clarke," Lexa said, reaching out a hand for her girlfriend to take, "I don't care if anyone knows anymore. What matters most to me is this relationship. Fuck what they might say."

Clarke took Lexa's hand in hers and brought it up to her lips, gently placing a few kisses on it. "So you avoid me for five days just to figure that out?" Clarke said sarcastically. She pulled Lexa's hand from her lips but continued to hold on to it.

Lexa sighed. She never knew the right way to communicate emotions, the right way to express her feelings. Sure she was a pro at professional communication, something that was required of her as a label owner, but when it came down to confronting her feelings, she'd just run away.

But Clarke Griffin changed that about her. She came into her life and made her feel like she could finally open up to someone without fear of loss.

"I avoided you for five days because I needed to think things through. I'm so sorry that I fled from you and from my feelings. I didn't want to hurt you," Lexa said slowly. She paused in between sentences, trying to find the right words to say.

"You don't have to run from me, Lexa, I'm not Costia. I'm not going anywhere," Clarke promised.

"And I know that now. You're all I thought about the last few days and I'm tired of running," Lexa admitted.

"Then don't," Clarke said, standing up from her chair. She brought her hand up to cup Lexa's cheek, running her thumb over her lips. "Just accept that I love you and I'm going to be here for you."

Lexa was taken aback by Clarke's mention of those three words. She was prepared to hear them again, she knew how Clarke felt, but they still caught her off guard.

"I have something else for you," Lexa said with a smile. She reached around her back and pulled out a white envelope that had been tucked between the elastic of her skirt and her back.

"What is it?" Clarke asked, curious to know what might be inside. She took it from Lexa's grip and flipped it over, pulling open the top flap.

"Open and see," Lexa said.

Clarke peeked into the envelope and fished out two thin rectangular-shaped pieces of cardstock paper.

She looked at the tickets, reading carefully from top to bottom. At first she couldn't believe what she was seeing – she thought she had read it wrong – but then she read it again. And again. And again.

Lexa had gifted her two front row tickets to see John Mayer live at Madison Square Garden.

"Holy shit," Clarke let out as she realized what the tickets said. "No way. No fucking way."

Clarke nearly squealed as she jumped up and down in place before throwing her arms around Lexa's neck and hugging her tight. She nearly took Lexa's breath away from how strong her grip was.

"Yes way," Lexa smiled bright as Clarke pulled back. She had imagined Clarke's reaction to be somewhat similar to that.

"Babe, how?" Clarke asked. She was undeniably stunned.

"What do you mean how?" Lexa laughed, "I own a record label I basically get tickets to everything."

"But front row?" Clarke asked, still in awe.

"Indra used to manage him before she came on to Grounder Records," Lexa shrugged, "I told her about us and how much you love him and she pulled some strings for me."

Clarke reread the ticket, still unable to accept the fact that she was going to be seeing one of her favorite singers live for the first time. She wasn't much of a concertgoer - in college when Raven and Octavia got into it, she would stay behind – but she would never miss and opportunity to see John.

"It's tonight," Clarke pointed out.

"Do you already have plans?" Lexa asked, her voice low in anticipation to be let down.

"O and Ray wanted to catch a movie but that can definitely wait," Clarke said.

"Are you sure cause-" Lexa began but Clarke interjected.

"Of course! This is amazing! You're the best girlfriend ever," Clarke cheered. She rewrapped her arms around Lexa's neck, looking longingly into her eyes, searching for approval.

"You can kiss me," Lexa said, replying to Clarke's inner thoughts.

Clarke didn't hesitate. She closed the space between their lips and kissed Lexa hard in her own office. Neither caring who might see.

* * *

Lexa stepped out of the driver's side of her mustang, lightly jogged around the front of the car and handed the keys off to a blonde valet guy who was walking towards the passenger door. She noted his name from his shiny gold name tag.

"I got it, Chad," she informed him with her hand out, reaching towards the car door. She wanted to be the one who opened Clarke's door and helped her out.

Clarke was too busy fumbling with her seatbelt to notice the interaction between Lexa and the valet guy. She looked up as soon as she heard her door being open only to find Lexa standing beside it with her hand out for Clarke to take.

"Why, thank you," Clarke said with excitement, placing her hand on Lexa's and letting her pull her forward. She brought her other hand up to her chest, feigning surprise.

"Enjoy the show," Chad told them as he stepped around them and closed the passenger door for Lexa. He handed Lexa a small slip with the number thirty-two on it. "Keep that for when you come back," he suggested.

"Thank you," Lexa said, a small smile forming on her lips. She took the slip and put it in the smallest pocket of her purse.

They walked slowly from the valet area to the nearest elevator, neither of them in much of a rush. Lexa eagerly took Clarke's hand in hers, interlocking their fingers. She was excited to be able to give this surprise to Clarke and to see how happy it made her to be there.

They stopped in front of the elevator, waiting for it to reach them. Lexa couldn't help but look at Clarke and admire how good she looked in a simple red v-neck and black jeans combo.

Clarke could feel that Lexa's eyes were on her, even as she was looking away at the elevator numbers, watching how they change from floor to floor, nearing them. She wasn't the type to shy away from getting checked out, but something about Lexa made her blush.

"Why are you blushing?" Lexa asked with a nudge of her shoulder against Clarke's.

"You're staring at me," Clarke said lowly.

"Can you blame me?" Lexa asked.

Clarke's cheeks turned a brighter shade of red and she buried her face in the crook of Lexa's neck.

"Stop," she cried, her voice high-pitched like a little kid's.

Lexa used her free hand to grab the back of Clarke's head and gently pulled her down, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "Come on, babe," she mumbled into her hair when the elevator reached their floor.

The elevator was full, allowing space for just the two of them to fit. They rode up in silence, each listening to the different conversations happening from the other passengers.

When they reached the street level, Lexa let Clarke step out first before taking her hand again and leading her towards the venue. The parking lot they had used was right across from MSG so they didn't have to do too much walking.

"It looks like we missed the opening act," Lexa pointed out after their tickets were scanned and they were let into the venue. There were small tv screens all around the concourse showing the opener waving to the fans as he walked off.

"Was it anyone we know?" Clarke asked, worried that she might have missed someone she liked.

"Just one of John's label-mates," Lexa replied. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" she asked as they looked on to the various food options.

"I'm good, do you?" Clarke replied.

"Not from here," Lexa laughed, shaking her head.

Clarke kept her fingers wrapped tightly against Lexa's as they continued to walk down the concourse, searching for the section that opened up to the floor level.

When they finally reached it, Lexa stopped in front of a merch booth that was located next to their entrance. "Would you like a shirt?" She asked Clarke.

"I'm okay," Clarke said.

"You would look good in one of these," Lexa said, pointing to a white and navy 3/4 sleeve shirt with John Mayer's name on it.

"I would never wear it," Clarke said honestly.

"I'm getting it anyway."

The line for merch was short so Lexa was able to sneak in and purchase the shirt for Clarke who was begging her not to.

"You got the wrong size," Clarke nudged Lexa when the sales associate went to grab the shirt she picked.

The girl returned with the shirt in hand, scanned it, and placed it in a small bag which she handed to Lexa, who in return handed her a credit card.

"It's so you can wear it to bed," Lexa said, turning to look at Clarke.

"You skeeze! You only bought it so you can see me in it," Clarke said, feigning offense. "You probably want me to wear just that."

"You're not wrong," Lexa said with a laugh. She looked back at the sales associate who was waiting with a receipt in hand. "Thank you," she said to her as she took her credit card, the receipt, and grabbed the bag that carried the shirt.

"Thanks by the way," Clarke said, "I'll wear it tonight."

Lexa led the way from the section seats to the floor level, showing their tickets to the event staffer at the bottom. He offered to lead them to their seats but Lexa rejected. She knew her way around every big arena and venue in New York City, it came with the job.

A folky-alternative playlist filled the arena in between sets, giving the fans something to enjoy before John Mayer took the stage. As she walked, Lexa danced to the beat of the song that was playing, making Clarke smile and laugh. She was really loving how free and happy Lexa seemed lately.

"Something's different about you," Clarke stated when they reached their seats. "like good different. I don't know what it is," she sighed.

Lexa knew. She had spent the last few days thinking about it, trying to find the best way to do it, to say it. Once she came to terms with it, it kind of changed her world. Lexa Woods was in love again and it was deeper this time. It scared her, it terrified her really, but she had come to finally accept it.

She stayed up the last couple nights tossing and turning because that's all she could think about. Sleep, eating, and even regular work activities became a hassle because she couldn't think of anything else. She was in love again.

Anya stepped in on the fourth day of Clarke and Lexa's time apart. She could tell something was bothering Lexa, so she did what any other best friend would do. She brought her dinner, sat her down on her couch, and made her spill everything. It was no easy task, as it usually isn't when Lexa's feelings are involved, but she managed to do it. And she said everything. With each thought, with each revelation, it all became clear. Lexa was in love again.

The acknowledgement was slow but once she came to terms with it, it made sense.

"Now that you mention it..." Lexa laughed nervously, running her hands through her hair and pushing it off to the right side. "There is something I wanted to say."

"What is it?" Clarke asked, hoping she was right in her assumption.

"I, um, first want you to know that I spent the last few days thinking about you and this relationship and-" Lexa cleared her throat, suddenly very thirsty "well, I'm happy that you came into my life and have become someone so important to me," she continued.

"You're important to me too," Clarke acknowledge with a slight push of Lexa's right shoulder.

"And I hope you understand how much it means to me that you listen and understand when I talk about everything that I've been through and why I am the way I am," Lexa added. She could feel a tear forming in her left eye but she blinked it away.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I lo-" Lexa said but was interrupted by the sudden screams of thousands of fans. The music was cut off and the lights dimmed.

"What?" Clarke nearly screamed. She couldn't hear anything that Lexa was saying through the screams.

Lexa just shook her head. She was disappointed that she didn't get her chance to say it, but the time would come. She leaned forward and spoke into Clarke's ear, "Later," she said.

Clarke nodded, turning her body and attention to the stage where the band was playing an instrumental version of John's "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". She cheered a few times then joined the rest of the fans in the row who were standing up.

Lexa smiled to herself as she witnessed Clarke's excitement. She chose to ignore the fact that the concert had interrupted her during such an important moment, because Clarke looked too damn cute freaking out over the intro.

"Oh my god," Clarke screamed, turning to smile brightly at Lexa who stood up beside her when John joined the band with his electric guitar, walking slowly from the back of the stage to the mic in the front.

Lexa was so enthralled by Clarke. Making her this happy, this excited, was all she ever wanted to do. Her days were no longer about just working and living to work, no, she had something else to look forward to, and that something else was standing right beside her - singing along to every single word as if she was the one that wrote them.

It wasn't like Lexa cared much about John Mayer, if you asked her she'd tell you she knows two songs, three maybe. But she'd take Clarke to see whoever and whenever, if it meant she's be as enthusiastic and content as she was seeing John Mayer.

"This is amazing, Lexa, thank you thank you," Clarke cried out between songs. She took Lexa's face between both hands, pulled her forward, and gave her a sloppy kiss on the lips.

Lexa laughed into the embrace, enjoying the way Clarke was reacting to everything. "You're welcome, baby," she said, not loud enough for Clarke to hear. Not that it matter really, Clarke was back to watching the concert, mesmerized by the way John played the guitar.

Halfway into the show, John switched his electric guitar for his acoustic one, starting a string of acoustic songs with "Say".

Clarke was wrapped in Lexa's warm arms, swaying to the beat of the song and singing along to every word. Lexa was enjoying the moment, caught up in the feeling of having the girl she loved in her arms. Then she started listening to the lyrics, word for word.

" _Have no fear for giving in, have no fear for giving over_ ," Lexa was listening closely, interpreting the words that John sang.

She looked down at Clarke, watching the ways her lips moved, mimicking John's as she sang the lyrics and looked up at him. Clarke wasn't aware that Lexa was staring, she had no idea the thoughts that we're going through Lexa's head.

" _You'd better know that in the end it's better to say too much_ ," John sang, " _Than never say what you need to say_."

That line resonated with Lexa as John continued on with the song. She repeated it in her head, she mumbled it out loud, she spoke it to herself a couple times. Then as quickly as it started, the song was ending and John was repeating the same line over and over again, " _Say what you need to say_."

"Clarke," Lexa screamed over the music. She removed her arms from around Clarke's waist and pulled back enough to face her.

Clarke looked at Lexa with a worried expression. John continued to repeat the line as they looked into each other's eyes, their minds connecting as they listened.

"I love you, Clarke," Lexa said. She finally let out the words that sat at the tip of her tongue.

Clarke couldn't hear, Lexa had spoken too low, but she could read her lips and that was enough. She lunged forward, throwing her arms around Lexa's neck and passionately kissing her in return. "I love you too," she mumbled into the kiss.

"What?" Lexa yelled, pulling back to see Clarke's face.

Clarke inched her lips closer to Lexa's ear then spoke louder, "I love you too," she repeated.

* * *

Lexa wrapped her arm around Clarke's waist as they waited for the elevator in the lobby of her apartment building. She held Clarke tightly against her, enjoying the comfort of having her around again.

They rode the elevator in silence, neither breaking apart from their embrace. It wasn't until they reached Lexa's floor that Lexa let out a surprising laugh.

She couldn't control herself any longer as she burst into a stomach-clenching, eye-watering fit of laughter. "I'm just thinking about it and I can't believe you got nervous when John pointed and winked at you," she said after catching her breath.

"I did not," Clarke defended, "He just caught me off guard."

When the elevator reached her floor, Lexa let go of Clarke. Their separation didn't last too long as Lexa reached back out to take Clarke's hand as soon as they had exited the elevator.

"You froze like a deer in headlights, babe," Lexa said matter-of-factly through another loud laugh. She was sure all her neighbors could hear them as they made their way down the hall.

They reached Lexa's apartment and stood in front of the door, looking at one another and laughing. It had been a while since either girl had laughed that hard.

"Don't be jealous because John Mayer hit on _me_ ," Clarke scoffed. She jokingly flipped her hair over her shoulders with her hand then winked at Lexa.

Lexa let out a breathy laugh in response to Clarke's behavior. She looked down and searched through her purse, "I'm not jealous," she said with a smirk. She pulled out her keys, unlocked the door, and opened it for Clarke to step in first.

"You're not worried that I might leave you for John Mayer?" Clarke asked as she passed through the doorway.

Lexa shook her head, following Clarke into the apartment. She closed the door behind them then double locked it since Clarke was spending the night.

"Not worried one bit. I know you won't leave me for him," she said.

"What makes you so sure?" Clarke asked. She turned around to look at Lexa who was still smirking behind her.

There was something different about the way Lexa looked back at her. She had seen that look before, it was the one she gave her their first night in Los Angeles.

Lexa continued to look at Clarke like she was the most attractive person she'd ever laid eyes on. Her eyes darting from Clarke's eyes to her lips. She took a step forward and put her left hand on Clarke's waist then brought her right hand up to grip the back of her neck, her thumb ghosting over her ear.

She leaned forward and brought her lips closer to Clarke's other ear before whispering, "You won't leave me because you'll miss _this_."

Clarke had no time to react to Lexa's lips gently sucking on her earlobe. She let out a soft moan in response which only made Lexa suck harder.

"Shit," Clarke managed to say. Her mouth was suddenly very dry and breathing became a hassle. She tried hard to keep her composure but it was a lost cause.

She could feel the heat coursing through her body and pooling between her thighs. But Clarke couldn't tell what turned her on more, the simple act of Lexa making a move on her or the feeling of Lexa's lips on her skin as they moved down her neck.

Lexa nipped at Clarke's pulse point, emitting a loud string of moans from her girlfriend. She was enjoying the way Clarke was squirming and moaning under her touch. They hadn't moved an inch but yet she could make Clarke feel like she was on the ride of her life.

Clarke couldn't see, hear, or think straight. She felt like her knees were going to give in at any moment.

Lexa noticed Clarke was becoming weak with every kiss. "Bedroom?" she mumbled into Clarke's neck.

Clarke nodded, she'd heard Lexa but she lost the ability to move.

Lexa wasted no time in reaching down, wrapping her arms around Clarke's thighs, and lifting her up. Clarke wrapped her legs tightly around Lexa's waist and leaned forward, capturing Lexa's lips in hers and pressing their foreheads together.

They kissed gently, a few pecks between smiles as Clarke's hands tangled in Lexa's hair. Lexa's hand slipped underneath the hem of Clarke's shirt, feeling the smooth, warm skin of her back.

Not wanting to pull away from Clarke's kiss, Lexa walked slowly towards her bedroom, unable to see a single thing in her path.

"Fuck! Ouch!" Clarke cried into Lexa's lips when her ass hit the hallway door frame.

"Sorry!" Lexa said with a laugh, "I'll be careful," she promised.

Lexa pulled away from Clarke's lips and looked ahead, walking them in the direction of her bedroom.

"Hurry," Clarke pleaded.

"I'm trying," Lexa defended.

As soon as they entered the bedroom, Clarke leaned down and kissed Lexa, tugging lightly at her bottom lip. She loved how soft and plump Lexa's lips were.

Lexa stopped in front of her bed, gently sitting Clarke down on top of it. Their lips moved in perfect sync as Lexa undid Clarke's jeans, starting with her button and moving to unzip them. She tried to pull them down but was rejected by Clarke's sitting position.

Clarke had started to unbutton the top of Lexa's jumpsuit but stopped half way as she got distracted by Lexa's actions. Without breaking their kiss, she lifted her butt from the bed and slid her jeans down to her feet, kicking them off when they reached the floor.

Lexa pulled away for much needed air, using the time apart to tug at the hem of Clarke's shirt. "Off," she demanded.

Clarke did as she was asked, lifting her shirt over her head and tossing it behind Lexa. She let Lexa reach behind her and unhook the clasps of her bra, both girls letting it drop down Clarke's arms and fall to the ground.

"Lay down," Lexa instructed Clarke. She placed her hands on Clarke's exposed chest and lightly pushed her back.

"You're so demanding tonight," Clarke said in a low voice, "I like it."

She didn't hesitate in scooting up on the bed then lying down as instructed. She shuddered as her bare back made contact with Lexa's cold sheets.

Lexa unbuttoned the last couple buttons from her jumpsuit and let it fall down to the ground, pooling at her feet. She stepped out of it, kicking it along with Clarke's jeans.

Clarke moaned as she watched Lexa undress. She was taken aback by Lexa's lack of underwear or bra. "Were you expecting this?" She asked.

"No, it's just easier to wear without any undergarments," Lexa shrugged. She wasn't lying, but she was sort of expecting for her clothes to end up on her floor at some point of the night.

Lexa crawled towards Clarke and kneeled in front of her half-naked body. She hooked her fingers on Clarke's pink underwear, slowly rolling it down Clarke's legs, her hands trembling in the process.

Lexa's confident demeanor was quickly being replaced by a sudden wave of nerves as she removed the last fabric that stood between her and Clarke.

"Hey, there's no rush," Clarke said, her hand on top of Lexa's trembling hand. "What's wrong?" She asked, noticing that Lexa was visibly nervous.

"I… um, been thinking about this and I want you to go down on me," Lexa admitted, looking down at where her hands had stopped moving.

Clarke sat up almost immediately after hearing Lexa's disclosure. "Are you sure?" she asked. She placed her index finger under Lexa's chin, lifting it up so she would look at her.

"Positive," Lexa nodded, "I love you and I'm ready."

That was the only validation Clarke needed. She let Lexa remove her underwear and waited as she tossed it with their pile of clothes.

Once they were both completely naked, Clarke wrapped an arm around Lexa's waist and flipped their bodies over, laying Lexa down with her back on the sheets.

"I feel like I'm losing my virginity all over again," Lexa said through a nervous laugh.

"It'll be better than that," Clarke said with a smirk.

This was the first time they would be making love to each other, no longer just having sex, and it was the first time Lexa would let Clarke reach that point of intimacy that she had so strongly protected.

This night meant a lot to both of them, and neither wanted to ruin it. So Clarke started off slow, kissing Lexa on the lips then moving over to her neck.

Lexa may have played the teasing game well, but she stood no chance when it came to Clarke. She knew exactly what Lexa liked and what she didn't like, which made it easy for her to get her moaning on the spot.

Clarke kissed down Lexa's chest, stopping at her breast. If there was one thing Clarke loved about Lexa's breast was how easily they perked for her. She took her time sucking, rolling and licking each nipple. She wanted to give each part of Lexa's body equal attention.

Lexa shuddered as Clarke's breasts lightly caressed her stomach as she continued with her descend, stopping periodically to kiss and nip at Lexa's toned stomach.

Lexa sat up on her elbows, looking down at Clarke who was taking her sweet time.

"I'm not getting any younger, Clarke," Lexa cried out, unable to take any more teasing. Her voice was low, strained from how hot she was.

Clarke, who was notorious for teasing her loved one until they cried, lowered her lips onto Lexa's inner thighs and lightly kissed her way up. She hovered over her center but didn't give in. She kissed down the other thigh, leaving no area unloved.

She smirked at Lexa, looking into her eyes as she slowly inched closer and closer to her center.

She closed the gap with a swift swipe of her tongue up Lexa's folds, lapping up the wetness that had built up between Lexa's legs from the last thirty minutes of mutual teasing.

"Oh my God," Lexa breathed out, throwing her head back into the mountain of pillows behind her. It was all she could muster.

"Mmm," Clarke hummed into Lexa's center. The vibrations of Clarke's voice against her core gave Lexa a whole new wave of pleasure.

Lexa had never been as vulnerable as she was with Clarke between her legs, occasionally looking up at her to check on her as she lavished her lips with kisses. It was the perfect mix of exhilarating and scary, but she felt safe.

"I love you, Clarke," Lexa spoke into the silence that filled the room between moans and heavy breathing.

Clarke smiled into Lexa's center. She could get used to hearing Lexa utter those four words for the rest of her life.

Her lips wrapped around Lexa's bundle of nerves. She took her time sucking and watching Lexa's reaction. She continued on, circling her clit with her tongue.

Her steady hand reached up, grabbing Lexa's shaky right hand and interlocking their fingers.

Lexa was panting as her hips moved to the rhythm that Clarke had set.

With each stroke of Clarke's tongue, Lexa felt every ounce of her body tense up.

She clenched the sheets with her left hand and squeezed Clarke's hand with her right.

"Clarke, baby," Lexa cried out, "I'm about to-"

There were no words left to say. Lexa was coming undone under Clarke and she couldn't even speak.

Clarke continued to circle Lexa's clit, helping her ride out her orgasm.

"It's been a while since i've done that," Clarke admitted as she crawled up to join Lexa.

"I couldn't tell," Lexa said. Her voice was breathy and high-pitched.

"Lex?" Clarke asked.

"Mhm," Lexa replied, still trying to catch her breath.

"I love you too," Clarke smiled into the crook of her girlfriend's neck.

"Mmm," Lexa hummed.

Lexa gave herself five minutes to catch her breath and let her mind-blowing orgasm die down. After recharging, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around Clarke's waist.

"Come here, you," she said with a big smile.

She kissed Clarke, tasting herself on the surface of her lips.

She pulled back and look down at Clarke's naked body. She took a minute to admire the view, happy to have such a beautiful girlfriend to make love to.

 **Long chapter BUT so much important stuff happening. I hope you enjoyed! I made a tumblr for this fic where i'll be posting teasers as I write so feel free to follow me and come chat. My tumblr is: GrounderRecords.**


	17. Chapter 17

"Lex?" Clarke mumbled into her pillow. She opened her eyes to the dark room, trying to determine if she was still dreaming. "Lexa?" She tried louder.

She felt her heart pounding in her chest as beads of sweat trickled down the side of her face. Seeking Lexa's comfort, she flipped over and propped herself up on her left elbow.

Much to her surprise, Lexa was sitting up, her back pressed against the headboard and her laptop resting on her exposed thighs, providing the only source of light in the room. She had her earphones on as she stared at the screen in front of her, unaware that Clarke was awake and seeking her attention.

Clarke let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Lexa, and half smiled when she noticed how cute she looked with a messy bun and her black-rimmed glasses; the telltale sign that she was fully in stay-at-home business mode.

"Lex?" Clarke tried again, this time gently caressing the outside of Lexa's arm.

Lexa flinched, startled by the unexpected touch, but softened up when she noticed Clarke staring back at her. She took the earbud out from her right ear and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream," Clarke said, her voice shaky.

"I'm here, babe," Lexa assured her, reaching over to move a piece of Clarke's hair that was dangling in front of her face

Clarke yawned, unable to hide her exhaustion. "What are you doing up?" She asked as she lifted herself just enough to look over Lexa's body and examine the clock on the nightstand. "It's four in the morning," she grimaced.

"I need to finish this monthly report and send it to the department directors before nine," Lexa said.

Lexa had been too caught up in her feelings for Clarke and attending the John Mayer concert, that she had completely forgotten to finalize the monthly report she would send to the department heads at the end of each month.

"Do you have a lot to do?" Clarke asked, settling back into a laying position.

"Probably an hour of work," Lexa shrugged.

"Get some sleep, Lex," Clarke suggested.

"I will eventually."

Clarke shifted around causing the sheets to rustle as she moved. She flipped her pillow, letting her cheek press up against the cooler side of it. She spread her arms out wide, enjoying the amount of space she got sleeping in Lexa's king-sized bed.

After adjusting herself, she laid face down, head turned towards Lexa and watched as she returned her focus to her report.

Lexa could feel Clarke's eyes on her, watching her as she typed in numbers to an excel sheet.

"Sleep well," Lexa said to Clarke.

"You too," Clarke mumbled before nodding back into deep sleep.

* * *

Clarke woke hours later to the sound of her alarm going off, indicating she had an hour before work.

She extended her left arm out towards the nightstand, her hand fumbling clumsily as she searched for the source of the noise. When her hand found her phone, she grabbed it, slid her finger across the bottom of the screen, and shut off the alarm.

She sat the phone back down on the nightstand and stretched her arms.

"Babe?" she asked as she ran her hand over the empty, warm sheets beside her. Confused, she turned over and looked around the room, finding no sign of Lexa anywhere.

"Babe?" She tried again, louder this time.

Lexa rushed into the bedroom with a toothbrush between her teeth and a worried look on her face. "I'm here," she said, almost inaudibly.

"Good morning," Clarke said with a sleepy smile.

"Morning!" Lexa said through a muffled voice.

Clarke smiled to herself, admiring Lexa who was in her matching purple pajama tank and shorts. Thinking about Lexa's outfit reminded her that she had no clothes to wear to work.

"I might need to borrow some clothes for work," Clarke admitted, "I didn't bring anything with me."

Lexa shook her head and held her index finger up at Clarke, silently asking her to wait. She ran over to the bathroom, finished brushing her teeth, and quickly returned to find Clarke still in the same position.

She leaned against the side of the bedroom door and smiled at Clarke, "We're not going to work today."

"Why not?" Clarke asked. She couldn't think of any possible reason why they wouldn't be going to work on a Friday, it's not like it was a holiday.

Lexa had just gotten off the phone with Anya before Clarke had woken, informing her best friend that neither one would be coming in for the day.

Anya, of course, wasn't too thrilled with the idea of Clarke taking the day off. She chewed Lexa's ear off about the consequences of Clarke missing work, but Lexa wasn't having it.

Lexa gave Clarke a devilish grin. "I was thinking we could just…" she started as she pulled away from the door, "work from home."

Clarke perked up in response, sitting up and letting her legs dangle over the edge of the bed. The sheets that previously covered her now pooled at her waist, leaving her chest fully exposed. She hadn't bothered to put on any clothes the night before as she was too lazy and felt comfortable lying naked next to Lexa.

"I don't think Anya would be very happy about that," Clarke admitted. Her eyes were fixed on Lexa's hips, observing the way they swayed side-to-side as she walked towards her.

"She'll get over it," Lexa smirked.

She stopped inches from Clarke, who was impatiently sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked down into Clarke's dilated blue eyes and smiled.

Lexa's fingers gripped at the hem of her tank and she slowly lifted the fabric over her head to reveal her firm breasts. She twirled the tank over her head then tossed it aside.

Clarke wasn't patient. She reached out and hooked her fingers in the waistband of Lexa's pajama shorts, pulling her forward until their knees met.

"I guess we won't be needing these," she said happily as she rolled down Lexa's shorts and underwear, letting Lexa step out of them when they reached the floor.

"I'm glad you slept naked," Lexa laughed, "you make this easier for me."

When the two were fully bare, Lexa kneeled down, seemingly unfazed by the feeling of the cold floor on her knees. She grabbed Clarke's hips and meticulously pulled her forward until she sat at the very edge of the mattress.

"What are you doing?" Clarke asked.

"Making s'mores," Lexa said sarcastically, "babe, what does it look like I'm doing?"

Lexa's hands glided gently against the skin of Clarke's upper thighs, riling her up.

"Oh," Clarke moaned lowly when she figured out Lexa's intentions.

Her heartbeat increased with every stroke of Lexa's hands as they moved up and down her thighs. She could see the longing in Lexa's green eyes as she looked back at her, silently asking her for permission. The only response Clarke could muster out was a nod; words becoming impossible.

With Clarke's consent, Lexa used both hands to slowly part Clarke's legs and settle herself between them until she was eye level with Clarke's center.

She hadn't even touched her yet but she could see that Clarke was soaking.

"You're so beautiful," Lexa let out.

Clarke was flush with a desire to be loved in the ways that only Lexa could provide. She tangled a hand in Lexa's hair, demolishing the messy bun and pushing head closer to her center, silently urging Lexa to touch her.

Lexa liked to be dominated by her impatient, flustered girlfriend. She licked her lips in anticipation for what was to come.

"Damn baby," Clarke cried as Lexa's fingers danced along the opening of her lips, teasing her. She threw her head back slightly, her other hand flat on the bed to keep her from tumbling down.

Lexa was in no hurry to get Clarke off, choosing to focus instead on making her orgasm long-lasting.

She used both index fingers to spread Clarke's lips, swiping her tongue to lap up her juices.

Clarke looked down, admiring the way Lexa looked buried between her legs.

With Clarke's eyes on her, Lexa reached down with one hand and began to rub two fingers around her own clit. She spread her legs, giving herself better access to her core.

Lexa kept her eyes closed, concentrated on providing the most pleasure she could give Clarke while also touching herself. She flexed her tongue, moving it in and out of Clarke's opening. That movement alone caused Clarke to jerk her hips forward, meeting Lexa's very relaxed rhythm.

"Don't be so impatient," Lexa mumbled into Clarke's core. The warmth of her breath and the subtle vibrations of her voice against Clarke's lips made Clarke shudder once again.

Clarke swallowed hard and cried out, "Please, fuck me."

Lexa obliged, enveloping Clarke's clit with her mouth, paying attention now to her bud. She sucked on it gently, while simultaneously flickering her tongue and circling around it. The sensation made Clarke emit a string of loud moans which only made Lexa suck and lick harder.

"Don't fucking stop," Clarke pleaded through a breathy moan. Her hand dug further into Lexa's hair, seeking some sort of support.

She pushed Lexa's head into her, following Lexa's quickened pace.

With every heavy breath and lengthy moan that Clarke emitted, Lexa quickened the pace of her fingers on her own clit, rubbing faster and faster. Clarke's pleas and moans were like music to Lexa's ears, and she was the composer.

Lexa wanted to make Clarke come undone with just the touch of her tongue and she was approaching success. She had her right where she wanted her; nearing the edge of pleasure.

"Suck harder," Clarke demanded. She could feel the pressure building at the pit of her stomach, indicating her release was coming.

It was hard for Lexa to concentrate on both getting Clarke off and rubbing herself, but when Clarke's moans turned to light cries begging her to not stop, there was nothing more she could do than fulfill her request.

Lexa did as she was asked, sucking hard on Clarke's clit and flicking the tip of her tongue back and forth on her hard bud.

"Shit..Lex I-" Clarke cried out after a long, drawn out moan.

It all happened quickly; a cause-and-effect reaction. Lexa came just as quickly as Clarke, both girls riding out their individual orgasms in unison.

Clarke had no time to announce hers, but it wasn't as if Lexa needed any heads up anyway. She could tell by the way Clarke fell back into the mattress, back arched and hand clenching Lexa's hair, that she was coming hard.

Lexa swiped her tongue lightly against Clarke's opening, lapping up her release and helping Clarke ride out her orgasm as she came down from her own.

Clarke's motionless body laid flat, her back stuck to the sheets and her legs dangling off the edge of the mattress. She'd never been eaten out in such a way, and she loved it.

Lexa placed a sweet kiss on Clarke's clit, causing Clarke to shudder once more from the pleasure.

She wiped her mouth with her forearm as she stood, using her other arm to steady herself up.

Her body hovered over Clarke who was still panting and trying to catch her breath. Leaning forward, she pressed the gentlest kiss on Clarke's forehead.

"What was that for?" Clarke asked, voice still uneven.

"Because I love you," Lexa said as though it was the most obvious response. "Can I get you anything?" She asked.

Clarke shook her head then patted the spot next to her. "Lay with me," she insisted.

Lexa crawled onto the bed, choosing to lay in the middle instead of next to Clarke. "Come here," she told her, "you won't be comfortable there."

When Clarke could finally muster the strength to move, she sat up and turned her body to face Lexa.

"I'm still coming," she said with a breathy laugh as she laid down next to Lexa. She pressed her naked body onto Lexa's side, draping an arm over her stomach.

"Would you like me to do it again?" Lexa offered. She looked down and grabbed Clarke's hand, interlocking their fingers before bringing their intertwined hands up to her chest.

"Mm, one was more than enough," Clarke promised, though she would let Lexa get her off millions of times if she did it as good as she had.

They lay silently for a while, both soaking in the moment and coming down from their previous activity.

Lexa let go of Clarke's hand to turn so they'd be face-to-face.

"Hey you," Clarke said with a tired smile.

Lexa yawned then said, "Hi."

She threw her arm around Clarke, pressing their bodies closer. Her gentle hand caressed Clarke's back, trailing her fingers from shoulder to shoulder then down to the small of her back. She did this for a while, her eyes closing as she traced down Clarke's spine.

Clarke watched Lexa lovingly, observing how her chest rose and fell as her breathing evened. She took in every detail of Lexa's face; the tiny freckle on her lip, her well-defined cheekbones and jawline, and the way her ears hid

behind her long hair.

"You have the cutest ears," Clarke pointed out, interrupting their silent moment.

"I do?" Lexa asked, a smile tugging at her lips. She kept her eyes closed, fingers still trailing down Clarke's back.

"Yes, they're small and cute," Clarke said, "and you have the cutest nose," she added, lightly tapping the tip of Lexa's nose with her finger.

Lexa blushed, still not used to Clarke's flirty compliments. She opened her eyes, finding Clarke's blue ones looking back at her. "You have the prettiest smile," she admitted.

She stopped caressing Clarke's back and moved her arm up to cup Clarke's cheek. She swiped her thumb over Clarke's soft lips, thinking of all the different ways she could kiss her.

"I love you," Lexa said. It felt nice to be able to speak those words aloud.

Clarke was overcome with ecstasy at Lexa's statement. She'd heard her mutter those words multiple times since the night before, but it didn't change how remarkable it made her feel.

With her heart on her sleeve, Clarke captured Lexa's lips in her own, giving her a tender loving kiss.

A few moments later, Clarke laughed into Lexa's lips and mumbled, "I can't believe you made us skip work just so we could have sex."

"I didn't do it so we could have sex," Lexa defended, "I called in because I went to bed at five in the morning."

"Whatever you say, babe," Clarke rolled her eyes jokingly. She pulled away, rolled over on her back, and stared up at the ceiling.

"You want to know what I was thinking earlier?" Lexa asked, propping herself up on her elbow and resting her head on her hand.

"That you landed the hottest girlfriend in all of New York?"

"No, I mean yes I did, but that's not what I was thinking," Lexa said.

"What were you thinking then?"

"That I could really go for some post-orgasm eggs," Lexa winked.

Clarke laughed and rolled her eyes. "Let's make breakfast then," she suggested as she sat up and rolled out of bed. She walked over to the dresser on the opposite side of the room and picked up the oversized t-shirt that Lexa had bought her the night before.

Lexa sat up and watched as Clarke threw on the shirt, omitting to slip on any underwear. "Pass me my clothes, please," she said.

After Lexa got dressed, they walked hand-in-hand towards the kitchen, neither girl ever wanting to lose any kind of physical contact.

"I was going to make you breakfast in bed but you had to wake up early, didn't you?" Lexa complained as they entered the kitchen.

She bent over in front of a row of cabinets and opened the one on her right, searching for the right pan.

Clarke sat smirking on the opposite counter, gently swinging her legs, and watching Lexa as she bent down. "Anything I can help with?" She asked.

Lexa pulled a pan out from a stack of four and placed it on the stove top. "Just sit and look pretty," she said, spraying the pan with cooking spray.

"I want to help, Lex," Clarke tried again.

"Fine," Lexa gave in, "beat a few eggs."

Clarke was eager to help Lexa make breakfast. She jumped down from the counter and ran over to the fridge, smiling to herself as she pulled out the ingredients.

They worked in perfect harmony, Clarke beating the eggs while Lexa moved over to start a fresh pot of coffee.

Moments like these reminded Lexa of her parents. They took her back to when she was a little girl, long before Aden was even in the picture, and her parents would do family breakfast on Saturday mornings.

As Lexa got older and her parents got busier, the breakfast tradition died out, but it was forever engraved in her head as happy memories.

"Ready to go," Clarke announced, handing Lexa the bowl of eggs.

She waited until Lexa was turned, adding the eggs to the pan, before coming up behind her and wrapping her arms around her waist. She placed a soft kiss on her neck then rested her chin on her shoulder, watching as she moved the eggs around.

"I thought I told you I don't like scrambled eggs," Clarke said, pulling back and feigning disappointment.

Lexa turned in her arms, her face a mixture of confusion. "What? But I made some the other-" Lexa tried but was interrupted by Clarke's lips.

"I'm kidding," Clarke said between kisses, nipping at Lexa's bottom lip.

"You're going to make me overcook the eggs," Lexa complained.

"Fine," Clarke said, raising her arms up in the air as she surrendered.

Lexa went back to cooking the eggs as Clarke returned to the counter, leaning against it instead of sitting back up.

"You're coming over for Octavia's party tonight, right?" Clarke asked, making small talk while they waited for the food to finish.

"Why wouldn't I?" Lexa responded.

Clarke shrugged. "I don't know, I guess because you don't really drink," she shrugged.

"Hasn't stopped me from going before."

"I just want to make sure you have fun," Clarke admitted.

"As long as you're there babe, I'll have a great time," Lexa replied with a smile.

* * *

"I'm not planning on getting that drunk," Clarke admitted as she loaded the fridge with the beer that Raven had bought.

She was back at her apartment with Lexa and Raven, and a group of their friends who had already arrived for the get together.

"Famous last words, Clarke," Raven said with a laugh.

Everyone was gathered around near the kitchen, making drinks and helping Clarke.

"What's that supposed to mean, jerk?" Clarke asked.

"Every time you say that you end up puking in my toilet. You don't even make it to your own… you choose mine," Raven complained.

"I really don't want to drink that much tonight," Clarke said, "Lexa's staying sober and I don't want to be give her a hard time."

Lexa, who had been talking to Bellamy and Monty, turned her head at the mention of her name.

"Feel free to drink as much as you'd like, babe, I'll take care of you," she said with a wink.

"Yeah, babe, Lexa here will take care of you," Raven mocked. She meant no harm in it, obviously, she was a sucker for teasing Clarke.

Clarke gave Raven a stern look but Raven just shrugged it off and walked over to pick up the last 24-pack.

"She's just joking," Clarke said, quickly turning to Lexa.

"I know," Lexa laughed, "I didn't think anything of it."

"Good, I just want to make sure. Not everyone really gets our friendship… or Raven's humor," Clarke admitted.

"I think she's pretty hilarious."

"I heard that!" Raven chimed in, handing Clarke the box of beer.

"Great, you boosted her ego," Clarke laughed.

Raven flipped her hair then winked at Clarke. "Your girl thinks I'm hilarious," she said, "watch your back."

After loading the fridge, Clarke and Raven moved on to make themselves mixed drinks. Clarke opted for a strong vodka cranberry, while Raven made herself a long island iced tea.

Once their drinks were made they took a couple opening shots, trying to loosen up before Octavia arrived.

Lexa left her conversation with the guys and walked over to talk to Clarke. "I invited Anya, I hope you don't mind," she told her.

"That's fine by me," Clarke smiled.

The group slowly migrated out of the kitchen, dispersing into the living room area while a few others hung out on the balcony.

Lexa and Clarke stayed back in the kitchen, talking alone until Raven came in requesting they take yet another shot.

Before Clarke could complain over Raven's rude interruption, she got a text from Octavia who was nearing the apartment.

"Okay, everybody hide," Clarke demanded as everyone in her apartment scattered to find their claimed hidings places. "O is on the move," she added.

She had given Octavia false plans, claiming she and Raven wanted to celebrate her 25 th birthday with a girl's night at their apartment, watching nothing but chick flicks. Octavia wasn't one to turn down a movie night with her two best friends, and turning 25 wasn't memorable enough to justify spending it any other way.

Octavia knocked a few times until Clarke answered the door, slightly out of breath.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Octavia asked as she stepped in.

"Oh, you know, just uh-" Clarke was trying desperately to come up with a good lie, but nothing came to mind.

"SURPSISE," everyone yelled out of sync as they popped up from their hiding spots.

Clarke let out a breath of relief, happy she didn't have to come up with an excuse on the spot.

"You bitch! You said we were watching movies!"

"A simple thank you will suffice," Raven said with a smirk as she walked over to Octavia. "Happy birthday you bitch!"

* * *

Clarke's blue eyes were fixed on the six remaining cups across from her. She held the small white ball between her left thumb and middle finger, rolling it around as she debated her next move. She was seconds from shooting when Lexa leaned forward and spoke, completely throwing her off.

"It's like basketball," she whispered into Clarke's ear, "use your wrist and your legs."

"Hey, no helping!" Monty yelled from across the table.

He was teamed up with Jasper, going against his favorite beer pong competition, Clarke and Bellamy. It wasn't a party at the Griffin-Reyes household if the four weren't going head-to-head in an intense game of beer pong.

"She can do whatever she wants," Clarke defended. She winked at Lexa before repositioning herself to stand with her left foot forward and right foot behind.

Following her girlfriend's advice, Clarke bent her knees before releasing a fast shot. The ball hit the rim of the closest cup and fell right in, floating on the beer.

Clarke looked over at Monty and Jasper, kissed her index and middle finger, then held out a peace sign. "Drink up, boys," she smirked.

"That's what I'm talking about, Griffin!" Bellamy praised as he gave Clarke a cheerful fist bump.

"Great shot," Lexa complimented her when she returned to her side.

"Thanks for the advice," Clarke said with a playful hip check.

Lexa wrapped her arm around Clarke's waist, placing her hand on her hip. She knew this position wouldn't last since Clarke was so absorbed by the game, but all she wanted was to keep her close for as long as possible.

"Lexa," Octavia called out from across the room, "join us on the balcony."

Raven stood behind Octavia, waving Lexa over with a drink in one hand and the other clutching the doorknob.

Lexa wasn't sure why both girls would want to speak to her, but she had a hunch.

She leaned in and kissed Clarke's temple, moving her hand over to rub lightly at the small of Clarke's back. "I'll be back, baby," she whispered into her ear, "don't forget to follow through."

Clarke smiled and nodded, too focused on the game to even look at Lexa.

"Clarke just keeps scoring tonight," Jasper shouted from across.

Lexa felt the blood rush to her face as she walked away. She didn't even have to turn back and look to know that Clarke was also blushing at that comment.

"Fuck off," Clarke replied.

Octavia and Raven were already outside when Lexa stepped out. Both girls were leaning on the railing with a mixed drink in hand, looking out at the bustling streets of New York. Neither of them noticed Lexa enter the balcony, both too caught up in a fit of laughter from something Raven had said.

"You wanted to see me?" Lexa asked. She felt a weird sense of irony in saying that line.

Octavia turned at the sound of Lexa's voice, nudging Raven's arm in the process. They looked at Lexa with a guilt-ridden look on their faces.

"Step into my office," Raven joked, reaching out her hand for Lexa to take.

Lexa was hesitant at first but took her hand anyway, allowing Raven to pull her forward towards the railing. Octavia and Raven both stepped aside, making room for her to stand between them.

"Would you like any?" Octavia asked, holding up her drink and pointing to it. "It's mostly whiskey but there's a hint of coke in there somewhere."

"I'm okay," Lexa said, shaking her head, "I don't drink."

Though Lexa knew the conversation that was to come was somewhat overdue, she still felt nervous to be alone with both of Clarke's best friends who she found to be a bit intimidating.

Both girls seemed pretty drunk, Raven more noticeably than Octavia, but they made the effort to appear serious.

"You must really like Clarke if you're willing to be sober around a group of drunk idiots just to be with her," Octavia stated.

"I've been in worse situations," Lexa said lowly. She shrugged off the statement, never really being bothered by other drunk's while she's been sober… at least not after the first year of her sobriety.

Raven took a giant sip of her drink then spoke, "right, well, I'm sure you know why we asked you out here."

"Not to braid each other's hair, I assume," Lexa joked. She let out a nervous laugh, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

"Funny but no. It's our duty as Clarke's best friends to make sure you don't hurt her," Raven said.

"We just want to make sure we're all on the same page here," Octavia added.

"I'm not going to hurt her," Lexa said with confidence, "you have my word."

Raven took a long sip of her drink and narrowed her eyes as she stared back at Lexa, deciding whether to trust her or not.

"Yeah, we had Finn's word too and you know what happened with that," she scoffed. She wasn't trying to be a bitch, but aggression was the first emotion that came to her when she talked about Clarke's ex.

"Not that we think you're anything like him," Octavia defended, giving Raven an unsympathetic look, "but we don't want history to repeat itself. Clarke hasn't really had the best of luck in the love department," she added.

"Stop trying to be modest O, she needs to understand how serious we are," Raven argued.

Lexa turned her head between the girls as they spoke. She felt like she was involved in a bad sitcom featuring a drunk game of good cop/bad cop, where Raven was trying to be the mean cop and Octavia was the nice one.

"Ignore her," Octavia said, looking directly at Lexa and avoiding the face Raven was making at her.

"Bitch, you're going off script," Raven complained, causing Lexa to stifle a laugh.

Raven was already three-fourths of the way done with the drink she brought outside, and it was starting to hit her hard.

"You're too drunk to remember what we talked about saying," Octavia told Raven.

"True," Raven shrugged. She had already forgotten half of the conversation the three of them were having.

Octavia rolled her eyes and looked back at Lexa before speaking, "look, we've never seen Clarke as happy as she is with you and that sort of worries us."

"Her being happy in a relationship worries you?" Lexa questioned.

"No, that's not it. We just fear that she's so into this relationship that if something goes wrong…" Octavia began but trailed off.

"I'll kick your ass," Raven finished for Octavia.

"You both have every right to defend Clarke and her happiness," Lexa began, "but you don't have to worry about me hurting her. We have a lot more in common than you guys know."

"We just want what's best for her," Octavia said sympathetically.

Of the two, Octavia seemed like the most responsible drunk. She was pretty far into her drink but she could still keep a conversation better than Raven.

"Just know that if you do anything to hurt my best friend I will come find you," Raven said, giving Lexa a nasty look. She held it for a few seconds then burst out laughing. "I'm fucking with ya, Woods!" she said through a laugh as she lightly smacked her in the arm.

"She's half-kidding," Octavia added.

Lexa relaxed a little. She had never gotten a talk from her significant other's best friends, so she had been expecting the worst.

"What's going on here?" Clarke asked, a look of confusion spreading across her face as she walked over to the three girls.

They were all too focused on their discussion to even notice Clarke open and close the door.

"Nothing!" Octavia said with a smirk.

"We were just getting to know your gal pal," Raven shrugged, "she's a keeper, Griff."

"You weren't harassing her were you?" Clarke asked, narrowing her eyes at Raven.

"Why are you looking at me?" Raven asked, a hint of defense in her voice.

"They weren't harassing me," Lexa interjected, hoping to save Clarke's friends from a pissy Clarke.

Clarke eyed Raven and Octavia suspiciously, waiting to see which one would crack first. She imagined the worst, picturing her best friends harassing Lexa until she cried. Knowing them, anything was possible.

"I think it's time for another round of shots," Raven changed the subject. She looked around between the three girls, hoping someone would join her. "You guys in?"

"Hell yeah!" Octavia said.

"I'll meet you in there," Clarke said, nodding her head towards the door, suggesting they both leave quickly, "I want to talk to Lexa."

Clarke stepped in to stand by the railing, switching spots with Raven who went off stumbling towards the door.

Octavia took Raven's hand, pulling her inside but not before giving Clarke an encouraging wink.

Lexa waited until Octavia and Raven left to grab Clarke by the waist and pull her closer. She wrapped her arms around her, pressing their bodies together. She rested her forehead on Clarke's and sighed. "It's good to have you back," she muttered happily.

"How bad were they?" Clarke asked. She knew better than to trust Raven and Octavia's schemes, especially when they involved her girlfriend.

Lexa could smell the strong scent of alcohol in Clarke's breath, but she didn't mind it, it was nice to just have her close.

"Not bad at all, honestly," she said, offering Clarke a half smile, "they care about you."

Clarke pulled her head back just enough to examine Lexa's face, trying to make out how traumatized she was. She couldn't bear having Lexa defending her friends if they were mean to her.

"Did Raven threaten to use her yellow belt karate skills on you if you hurt me?" She asked.

"No, I don't think she ever threatened that," Lexa laughed.

"Hm, she likes you then," Clarke smiled. She lowered her head to rest on Lexa's shoulder then nuzzled her face into her neck, searching for a comfortable position.

The buzzing conversations from inside became invisible noise to them as they stood silently on the balcony, both content to be alone together again.

Lexa combed her fingers through Clarke's soft, blonde hair while Clarke hummed along to the Polaris song that was playing inside the apartment.

"Did you win?" Lexa asked.

"No, we lost!" Clarke huffed, "Fucking Monty never misses."

"How much have you had to drink?" Lexa asked.

Clarke couldn't remember how many drinks she'd had since the party began. Between the shots, Raven's strong mixed drinks, and the previous game of beer pong, she guessed it was a lot.

"To be honest, I have no clue," Clarke admitted.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm… a little drunk," Clarke mumbled into Lexa's neck.

"Do you want to go back inside?"

"No, I'd rather stay out here and kiss you," Clarke said with no hesitation.

As much as she loved nestling into Lexa's neck, it wasn't enough; not when alcohol was pumping through her veins and Lexa looked so damn fine.

Clarke wasted no time in pulling back, wrapping her arms around Lexa's neck, then kissing her hard.

She nibbled at Lexa's top lip then sucked on the bottom one. Her kisses were sloppy but full of drunken desire.

Lexa was enjoying their kisses, until Clarke was pulling at her bottom lip, playfully biting down into it.

"Easy tiger," Lexa moaned out against Clarke's lips.

She didn't mind kissing Clarke on the balcony, in fact she kind of loved being able to kiss her whenever she wanted, but the last thing she needed was to get all hot and bothered where everyone could see them.

"Mm, should I go back inside?" Clarke asked sarcastically, pulling away from Lexa and backing up towards the door.

"No, come back here," Lexa said, wrapping her index fingers into the belt loops of Clarke's jeans and tugging lightly. She pulled Clarke forward until they were body-to-body again.

And then they were kissing again. Clarke's tongue's parting Lexa's lips while Lexa held Clarke by the neck.

Raven slammed the balcony door open, peaked her head out and stuck out her tongue, a common habit of hers when she's drunk.

Lexa tore away from Clarke's embrace the moment she heard the door slam open.

"Yo, there's a smoking hot girl looking for you Lexa," Raven half-yelled before disappearing back to the party.

Clarke huffed, annoyed by the interruption, and said, "What a buzzkill."

Lexa laughed, taking Clarke's hand in hers and interlocking their fingers. She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on Clarke's forehead; a silent apology for their moment cut short.

"Come on, it's probably Anya," she said, pulling Clarke in the direction of the door.

"I'm going to go and get another drink," Clarke announced as soon as they were back inside.

She fled quickly, leaving Lexa to make her own way towards Anya who was sitting alone on the couch, shyly looking around.

"You made it," Lexa grinned. She walked around the couch and plopped down beside her.

Anya rolled her eyes. "I made it like ten minutes ago."

"You've been here the whole time?"

"Lincoln let me in. He said you were outside with Clarke's friends," she shrugged, "Then I saw Clarke finish her beer pong game and go outside so I figured I'd wait."

Lexa nodded, eyeing the red cup in Anya's hands. "You already got a drink?"

Anya held her cup up, took a sip of it, and pointed at Raven who was dancing alone in the middle of the living room, "Drunky over there made this for me," she said, "it's fucking strong."

"I see you met Raven then, that's Clarke's roommate," Lexa informed her.

"She makes quite the first impression," Anya said.

"Did she say something?"

"Not really, she just saw me standing around and asked me if she could get me a drink," Anya began, "I've had half this cup and I'm already pretty buzzed."

"Well I'm glad you're quickly making friends," Lexa smiled.

Anya winked. She took a swig of her drink then grimaced in response. "Everyone seems pretty wasted, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, don't worry," Lexa promised.

Anya placed her hand on Lexa's knee and gave her a sympathetic squeeze. "Are you sure? I know how you get around drunk crowds."

She knew better than anyone in the room, even Clarke.

A house party for Octavia's birthday was child's play in comparison to the things both girls had seen.

"I'm good, really. I've been to one of these parties before, they're harmless," Lexa said.

Neither girl noticed Clarke walk back out into the living room with her freshly made mixed drink and a water bottle for Lexa. She walked over to Lexa, handed her the bottle, kindly smiled at Anya, then walked over to the beer pong table.

"Your girlfriend's been avoiding me since I got here," Anya said, "you wouldn't happen to know why, would you?"

"She was outside with me," Lexa defended.

"No before that, when I saw her after I came in, we made eye contact and she didn't say anything."

Lexa laughed into her water then cleared her throat before speaking, "I think she's a little intimidated," she admitted.

Anya raised her eyebrow and asked, "By me? Is it because of work?"

"No, it's not work," Lexa shook her head, "she's worried you won't like her."

"I don't get it, why?"

"Because you're my best friend and you're kind of intimidating to begin with," Lexa shrugged, "I'd be nervous too."

"I don't not like her! Not unless she gives me a reason to, like if she hurts you in any way," Anya said.

"Then you two should be fine," Lexa smiled. She turned around, looked for Clarke then yelled her name when she spotted her.

"What are you doing?"

Clarke's head turned to face Lexa who waved her over. She smiled at her when their eyes met.

"Hey Anya," Clarke said nervously, taking a seat next to Lexa, "I'm glad you could make it."

"Thanks for having me," Anya smiled.

Lexa looked around for something to do. She wanted to give Anya and Clarke the space to talk alone.

"I'll be right back I'm going to see if Raven needs help with getting the cake out," she informed the two girls when she saw Raven struggling with the cake.

Both Anya and Clarke looked at Lexa with a panicked expression but she just half smiled at them before making her exit.

Anya and Clarke sat quietly, both wanting to strike up a conversation but not really knowing how. Neither wanted to be the one to bring work into the party.

"Look, I'll cut to the chase because we both know what I want to talk to you about," Anya broke the silence.

"Lexa said you wouldn't mind."

"Mind what?"

"Me missing work today," Clarke said, raising an eyebrow.

"Clarke, that's not what I want to talk about," Anya shook her head.

"Oh..."

Anya sighed, ready to get this conversation over with. "I want to talk to you about Lexa," she said.

"Right... The talk," Clarke nodded.

"I'm happy she's finally moving on from that two-timing ex of hers, but I still worry about her sometimes," Anya began, "Lexa's been through a lot of shit and I know she told you about it all, so I expect you to understand where I'm coming from here."

"I do."

"Protect her heart, Clarke. If you have any bad intentions, walk away now. I'm not going to have her breaking like she did when Costia cheated," Anya said.

"I have no ill intentions. I love her and my focus is only on her," Clarke promised.

"Get over here, Griffin, we're blowing out the candles," Raven called out from the dining room table, interrupting her important conversation with Anya.

"We can finish this another day," Anya suggested. She felt better having said at least something to Clarke.

Clarke, although still nervous to be around Anya, felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She knew talking to Lexa's best friend was something that needed to be done, but she was glad it happened while she was drunk and not sober.

"Clarke, Anya, get over here!" Lexa shouted over the music.

Everyone was waiting for them to start singing to Octavia and of course, the two were moving at a snail pace.

"We're going, we're going," Clarke muttered under her breath as she stood up. She had reached that point in her drunken state where standing was a process that led to an uncomfortable dizzy spell.

"You okay?" Anya asked, bringing up her arms to hold her steady.

"Just dizzy," Clarke admitted. She didn't let the weird feeling keep her from walking; she stumbled over towards the group with Anya in tow.

When the full group was gathered around Octavia and the cake, Raven kicked off the birthday song by singing at the top of her lungs.

Everyone cheered and hollered as the song came to an end and Octavia blew out her twenty-five candles.

"Happy birthday, Tavi!" Raven cheered loudly as Octavia blew out the last one.

She stood behind and gently pushed Octavia's head down into the cake, causing the entire party to bust out laughing.

"You bitch!" Octavia yelled as she pulled her head out of the cake. Her face was covered completely with white frosting.

She ran her fingers across her face, trying to get as much of the cake off as possible.

Raven was mid-laugh when Octavia reached over and rubbed her caked fingers on her face.

"Get her!" Clarke yelled from behind. She dipped two fingers in the cake, ready to have her own turn at attacking Octavia.

Octavia turned just in time to find Clarke reaching out for her, but she was quicker. Before anyone could stop her, she smeared a handful of cake on the right side of Clarke's face.

"The girls have gone wild," Jasper joked, making everyone in the room laugh again.

Raven sneaked behind Clarke and Octavia, both girls too busy trying to breathe from their drunken fit of laughter. She grabbed a handful of cake and eyed Clarke.

"Take that bitch!" She yelled as she lunged forward towards Clarke.

Clarke wasn't fast enough to completely dodge Raven, but she managed to avert the cake from hitting her face. Instead Raven dragged her hand down the fabric of Clarke's v-neck as Clarke took off running towards the living room.

Unsatisfied with her attempt, Raven followed behind Clarke, hand extended and ready to attack.

"Come here, you little…." She cried after Clarke.

Being the only sober person left at the party, Lexa felt like it was her duty to get them cleaned up. She walked over with a handful of paper towels ready to be of service.

"Clarke," Lexa yelled, trying to get the attention of her drunk girlfriend who was halfway across the room, standing behind the couch in an attempt to hide from Raven.

"Truce?" Clarke asked, arms up in the air as she surrendered.

Raven backed down. "Truce."

They walked back towards Lexa, both seemingly in defeat, but just as Clarke was about to reach out for a paper towel, Raven lunged forward and smeared cake on the cleaner part of her face.

"You lying bitch!" Clarke complained.

Lexa laughed, unable to keep herself from enjoying the annoyed look on Clarke's face. "Come here, babe," she said.

Clarke's face went from annoyed to mischievous in seconds, smirking at Lexa.

"Don't you dare, Clarke!" Lexa demanded. She could see Clarke's plan and she wasn't about to let her attack her.

But Lexa had no place to run. Clarke grabbed her by the face and kissed her hard and half the cake that was on Clarke's face found a new home on Lexa's.

"CLARKE!" Lexa cried into the kiss.

"Sorry," Clarke stuck out her tongue, "not sorry," she broke down laughing.

* * *

" _Let me fuck you right back_ , " Clarke drunkenly sang along to the song that played. She moved along to the beat, rolling her body and grinding her ass into Lexa's front.

Lexa didn't move as fluidly as Clarke, she just kept a simple rhythm, letting her girlfriend do the work.

For her, dancing in the middle of the living room was a weird situation to be in. Everyone but her was completely plastered, either dancing along to the playlist or passed out on the couch.

She was the only sober person left, and very much in tune with her surroundings. She knew no one was really watching them, all too caught up in their own things, but she still wished they were in the privacy of Clarke's bedroom.

Lexa felt herself grow hotter with each time Clarke dropped down then slowly rose, making her body shiver with pleasure. She kept her hands on Clarke's waist, protecting her from falling.

Clarke was a mess of emotions as she danced. She was happily drunk but with every movement came a wave of longing and a desire to have Lexa unclothed beneath her. She turned in Lexa's hold, and looked at her like she was the only one in the room. "My room?" she mouthed.

Lexa wanted it but a feeling came over her; Clarke was far too drunk to have sex with.

"I have to take Anya home," Lexa said, almost forgetting her designated driver duties.

"She can stay here," Clarke whined, "let's go to beedddd."

It killed her to have to shut Clarke down, but it was all in good intentions. Clarke would probably not remember this moment, and if she did, she'd understand why Lexa changed her mind.

"Come on," Lexa said, wrapping an arm around Clarke's waist to help her walk steady, "let's go look for Anya."

The last time Lexa had seen Anya anywhere was when they all started to dance. She'd been dancing with Lincoln and Octavia, forming some weird circle between them.

"Hey Octavia, have you seen my friend Anya?" Lexa asked.

Octavia was on the couch, sitting on Lincoln's lap, both visibly drunk and ready to pass out.

"She's macking with Ray Ray," Octavia slurred. She pressed her head against Lincoln's and closed her eyes. "Over there," she added, motioning her hand in the direction of the hallway.

Lexa knew Anya had a tendency to make out with random people when she was drunk, specially girls; this wasn't a new development.

"Of course she is," Lexa mumbled to herself, shaking her head.

She'd been to focused dancing with Clarke, that she didn't even notice her best friend leave the room with Clarke's roommate.

"Let's go to bedddd," Clarke tried again. She was sleepily leaning on Lexa's shoulder while she spoke to Octavia.

"No, come on, I need to get Anya," Lexa tried. She pulled Clarke along with her, making sure she could at least get her back into her room.

The hallway was completely empty with no sign of either Anya or Raven.

"They're probably fucking," Clarke slurred.

Lexa inched towards Raven's door, scared to hear any weird noises coming from inside. She tried turning the knob but the door was locked shut.

"Anya, if you're in there it's time to go," Lexa yelled after a couple knocks. When she didn't hear a response she tried again. "I'll be waiting for you when you're… done," she added.

Lexa turned to find Clarke leaning against the wall, eyes shut and mouth half open. It wasn't always that she'd find Clarke in these circumstances, but she had to admit she made being piss drunk look cute.

"Clarke, wake up," Lexa tried, shaking Clarke until she looked at her with bloodshot eyes.

Just as Lexa was about to walk Clarke to her room, she heard the door behind them unlock and she turned to find a very disheveled Anya stepping out. She made no eye contact with either Clarke or Lexa, eyes fixed on the ground as she walked.

"Let's go," she said quickly, grabbing Lexa's wrist and pulling her with her.

"Hold on, Anya, I have to make sure Clarke gets to bed okay," Lexa said, pulling her wrist back.

Anya rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. "Fine, hurry," she demanded.

"You forgot this," Raven said, holding up a red thong on the tips of her fingers. She was leaning on to the door frame in nothing but an underwear, covering her boobs with her arm.

Anya's cheeks turned a shade of crimson. "Uh, thanks," she said as she snatched the underwear from Raven's hand.

 **Long chapter but I hope you enjoyed :D Follow me on tumblr if you want to chat + see previews! My tumblr is: grounderrecords.**


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